Dr. Martin at CNIC Madrid 2025

Last month, Dr. Martin traveled to Madrid to participate in the 9th Annual Cardiovascular Bioengineering (CVBE) Symposium at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). The CVBE-CNIC conference brought together top scientists from around the world to share the latest advances in heart repair, stem cell biology, and translational cardiovascular science. Dr. Martin delivered a featured talk in Session VI: Promoting Endogenous Repair Mechanisms, chaired by CNIC’s Miguel Torres. His presentation, "Hippo Signaling in Heart Regeneration," highlighted recent work from our lab on how modulating the Hippo-YAP pathway can drive cardiomyocyte proliferation and tissue regeneration following ischemic injury. As one of the first to demonstrate the role of Hippo signaling in heart repair, Dr. Martin shared new insights into transient YAP activation as a therapeutic strategy and the cellular reprogramming required for effective regeneration.

Dr. Martin opening up the “Promoting endogenous repair mechanisms” session at CNIC 2025 on Friday, April 25.

Dr. Martin introduces the evolutionarily conserved Hippo Signaling Pathway in preparation for discussing its role in cardiac regeneration.

His talk complemented an exciting session that included speakers such as Dr. Sean Wu (Stanford), Dr. Glynnis Garry (UT Southwestern), and Dr. Mauro Giacca (King’s College London), all addressing molecular and epigenetic strategies to unlock the heart’s regenerative potential. Beyond his presentation, Dr. Martin engaged with investigators across disciplines, from stem cell engineering to inflammation and metabolism, during poster sessions and networking events hosted at CNIC. The Martin Lab is grateful to the organizers and host institution for the opportunity to contribute to this visionary symposium and looks forward to continued collaboration with CNIC colleagues across the global cardiovascular research community.