Yerebakan Lab
The Yerebakan Lab studies why some babies are born with very small or weak hearts and whether those hearts can grow stronger if given the right help. Using a special embryo model, we can temporarily change blood flow and then restore it to see if the heart can recover its growth. This helps us learn whether there are windows of time when treatment might make the biggest difference. Our goal is to use this knowledge to guide new approaches that protect children’s hearts, improve surgical outcomes and give families more options and more hope for the future.
Inside Yerebakan Lab
Our Research
The Yerebakan Lab studies how mechanical forces shape heart development and contribute to congenital heart disease. Our research centers on hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a severe defect where the left side of the heart fails to grow properly. To investigate this, we are working on a preclinical model of Left Atrial Ligation–Release (LAL-R), which provides a way to investigate the potential for reversibility of left heart hypoplasia. By combining developmental biology with translational research, our team aims to identify when structural defects may still be corrected and to uncover pathways that could guide earlier and more effective treatments for children born with serious heart conditions.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) remains one of the most severe congenital heart defects, with high mortality despite surgical advances. Early clinical efforts suggest that restoring blood flow before birth may promote growth, but the timing and mechanisms are poorly defined. Our research aims to clarify when a developing hypoplastic left heart is still capable of recovery, so that future interventions can be better timed and more effective.
Our team uses developmental and translational approaches to study how altered circulation influences heart growth. We are expanding the preclinical model of Left Atrial Ligation–Release (LAL-R) as a platform to test whether restoring left-sided blood flow during defined stages can support ventricular recovery. To evaluate these changes, we plan to apply high-resolution and 4D imaging to track chamber dimensions, wall architecture and remodeling in vivo. At the cellular scale, we are building systems to study cardiomyocyte contractility, calcium handling and key signaling pathways that govern adaptation under mechanical stress. By linking embryonic, cellular and molecular readouts, our work is designed to provide an integrated picture of how mechanical forces guide heart development and disease.
Join Our Team
If you're interested in collaborating with Yerebakan Lab, please email YerebakanLab@NationwideChildrens.org.
Featured Research Project
This project develops a reversible chick embryo model of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). By temporarily restricting and then restoring blood flow, we can test how timing influences ventricular remodeling and whether growth can normalize. The project combines developmental modeling with advanced imaging to map structural changes and aims to define windows when interventions may be most effective. Findings are expected to guide new approaches for early diagnosis and potential prenatal therapies. The goal of this project is to determine whether restoring blood flow at critical stages can reverse or improve left heart growth.
