New Approaches in Heart Valve Research

Aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve regurgitation are the most common heart valve diseases. Although there are known risk factors, including age, infection, lifestyle and congenital disorders, patients are asymptomatic until the disease has progressed to where surgical intervention is the only remedy. Preventive therapies are completely lacking. Furthermore, more than 33 million people are affected by rheumatic heart disease, with the majority lacking access to cardiac surgical services. We therefore anticipate that innovations in science and technology will be increasingly applied to study heart valve biology and disease pathology. Heart valve research scope is vast and relies on expertise in engineering, chemistry, biophysics, computational sciences, developmental biology and molecular biology. Research in the molecular mechanisms that drive valvular heart disease are in pursuit, the limited availability of not only primary valve tissues, but also appropriate controls, presents a major challenge to exploit ever-evolving technologies that aim to understand how the cellular, extracellular matrix, mineral composition, genes/proteins, and small molecules contribute to the pathology. Thus, new approaches to advance heart valve disease research will likely include multidisciplinary collaborations, innovative workflows and provocative ideas.

This Research Topic aims to feature novel methods and ideas to characterize and treat mechanisms, local and remote, that drive the progression of various heart valve diseases. Novel approaches include not only advancements in established methods in heart valve disease but as importantly, those that bridge multiple disciplines through their respective technologies and innovations. Studies incorporating methodologies pertaining but not limited to, molecular profiling, systems biology, artificial intelligence, imaging modalities, material science and preclinical and clinical practices, are encouraged to apply. Proof-of-concept studies that promote paradigm-shifting sciences are highly encouraged.