Jang Lab
The Jang Lab is exploring how non-genetic factors, particularly epitranscriptomics, regulate complex physiological and pathological processes during heart development. We focus on the emerging field of post-transcriptional mechanisms that significantly impact mRNA metabolism.
After transcription, messenger RNAs (mRNAs) undergo various reversible chemical modifications essential for their function, stability and translation. Among these, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) stands out as the most prevalent and well-characterized modification in mammalian mRNAs. Like DNA and histone modifications, m6A methylation is dynamically regulated: methyltransferases ("writers") add the modification, demethylases ("erasers") remove it, and RNA-binding proteins ("readers") recognize it. These processes collectively influence gene expression and cellular behaviors such as stem cell pluripotency and cardiac metabolism. We aim to investigate the intricate regulatory mechanisms of m6A modifiers during the crucial phases of heart development.
Our Current Project
Cardiomyocyte specific deletion of methyltransferases causes early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy.
Early-onset DCM poses a significant threat during heart development, characterized by elevated morbidity and mortality. The predominant cause of fetal DCM is commonly deemed idiopathic, with a strong correlation to genetic mutations. Genes implicated in DCM typically encode proteins associated with the sarcomere, Z-disc, desmosome and nuclear filament. These genetic mutations, whether inherited or de novo, exhibit variable expressivity and penetrance. Notably, sarcomeric genes are often subject to post-transcriptional modifications during heart development. However, the extent to which post-transcriptional dysregulation contributes to fetal DCM pathogenesis remains undetermined, creating a substantial knowledge gap in understanding the etiology of fetal DCM.
We are aiming to understand that how dysregulation of m6A methyltransferases leads early developmental fail.
Inside the Jang Lab
Our Research
Congenital heart diseases remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet many of the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the Jang Lab, we believe that exploring the role of RNA modifications, particularly m6A, holds immense potential for uncovering previously unrecognized pathways that drive disease progression.
Our laboratory generates and utilizes genetic mouse models and human induced pluripotent cells to tackle very important questions in the field. We take advantage of multiple cutting-edge technologies such as m6A-seq, Ribo-Seq, Nanopore direct RNA-seq and RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA-FISH).
Featured Publications
Join Our Team!
The Jang Lab welcomes applications from future scientists at all levels, including postdoctoral fellows, research interns, graduate and undergraduate students, and research assistants interested in cardiovascular development research. Please send your CV to Jihyun Jang. We are also actively open to collaboration. If you're interested in working with us, please reach out via email.
Meet Our Team
Jihyun Jang, PhD
Principal Investigator
Jihyun.Jang@NationwideChildrens.org
Jihyun Jang, PhD, is an assistant professor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in cardiovascular physiology from Seoul National University College of Medicine and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Dr. Jang is dedicated to understanding heart development and congenital heart disease at the cellular and molecular levels. Her research explores the fundamental mechanisms of cardiac development, including cardiomyocyte proliferation, differentiation and the role of signaling communication in these processes. Her lab focuses on epitranscriptomic regulation in heart development, with a particular emphasis on m6A modifications.
Joohee (Jennifer) Oh
Postdoctoral Scientist
Joohee.Oh@NationwideChildrens.org
Joohee Oh is a postdoctoral scientist in the Jang Lab, where her current research focuses on genetic knockout mouse models to investigate their functions and mechanisms in cardiopulmonary development. She received her doctoral degrees in food and nutrition from Sookmyung Women's University in the Republic of Korea in 2024. Her dissertation investigated the effects of oriental medicine mixtures on vascular endothelial dysfunction in ovariectomized rats, exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Savanna Burke
Research Associate
Savanna.Burke@NationwideChildrens.org
Savanna joined the Jang Lab as a research associate and lab manager in September 2024. She holds a master’s degree in applied neuroscience from The Ohio State University, earned in December 2024, where she focused on understanding the mechanisms driving impulsive choice behavior. Before that, she completed her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at the University of Kentucky. In the Jang Lab, Savanna specializes in studying how cardiac RNA metabolism affects heart development through advanced visualization techniques.
Donna Li
Research Assistant
Donna.Li@NationwideChildrens.org
Donna Li joined the Jang Lab as a research assistant in October 2024 after graduating from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in psychology. During undergraduate years, Donna conducted research in cell biology and physiology. She is eager to gain more experience and pursue more research interests while studying cardiac development.
