Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 31% of all deaths – more than all forms of cancer combined. Despite the ability of modern medicine to diagnose and treat many of the underlying causes of heart injury, the heart’s ability to regenerate itself after major trauma is poor.
The Cardiac Regeneration Group combines basic science with clinical research to create stem cell and growth factor-based therapies for regenerating the injured heart. We also have an interest in cardiac disease and repair processes, and are developing bioengineering tools for disease modelling, investigating the immune response after myocardial infarction, and exploring the development of cardiomyopathies.
We work closely with the Cardiac Gene Therapy Group, with whom we make up the Centre for Heart Research. We also have extensive collaborations with clinicians at Westmead Hospital, and researchers at The University of Sydney.
To learn more about our research, visit our website chonglaboratory.com
Recent Achievements
- The Centre has established a significant capacity to perform the highest quality research, with focus on small and large cardiac animal models, for testing for safety and efficacy prior to human treatments.
- Working to develop a system for regulatory approaches for phase 1 clinical trials and staffing of this initiative
- Working to develop a multidisciplinary approach to Cardiovascular research by harnessing the strengths of clinicians and scientists through collaborations, both local and international
Recent publications

Tropoelastin improves post-infarct cardiac function by increasing scar elastin. Circulation Research
December 2022

PDGF-AB reduces myofibroblast differentiation without increasing proliferation after myocardial infarction. JACC Basic to Translational Science 2023
June 2023

Delivery of Cardioactive Therapeutics in a Porcine Myocardial Infarction Model. Nature Communications 2022
September 2022

Platelet-derived growth factor-AB improves scar mechanics and vascularity after myocardial infarction, Science Translational Medicine
January 2020
Group Members
NAME | ROLE |
Zoe Clayton | Project Coordinator |
Leila Reyes | Post Doctoral Researcher |
Alan Marcus | Research Veterinarian |
Haisam Shah | Research Assistant |
Siqi Chen | Research Assistant |
Emily McKinna | PhD Student |
Fairooj Rashid | PhD Student |
Tejas Deshmukh | PhD Student |
Samia Kazi | PhD Student |
Sally Kim | PhD Student |