Mingfu Wu

• Postdoc 2007-2010, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
• Postdoc 2006-2007, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
• Ph.D. in Biology, 2005, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas

Publications

Google Scholar Profile

• Nusrat A, Zhao L, Miao L, Thevasagayampillai S, Lu X, Kandasamy A, Haque MA, Gunaratne PH, Evans SM, Wu M.* Invasion of Epicardial-Derived Cells to the Trabeculae Mediated by NFPs-Fgf Signaling Regulates Ventricular Compaction. Circulation: Heart Failure. 2026;19(2).
• Miao L, Nusrat A, Li J, Yin C, Lu Y, Kuang X, Sun D, Lo E, Song R, Huang W, Long X, McConnell BK, Singer HA, Schwartz RJ, Gunaratne P, Fan ZC, Kumar A, Zhou B, Munshi N, Evans SM, Wu M* Distinct populations of vascular smooth muscle and sinoatrial progenitors are localized adjacent to pro-epicardium. Cell Reports. 2025;44(12):116580.
• Miao L, Lu Y, Nusrat A, Fan G, Zhang S, Zhao L, Wu CL, Guo H, Le Nu Huyen T, Zheng Y, Fan ZC, Shou W, Schwartz RJ, Liu Y, Kumar A, Sui H, Serysheva II, Burns AR, Wan LQ, Zhou B, Evans SM, Wu M* Tunneling Nanotube-Like Structures Regulate Distant Cellular Interactions During Heart Formation. Science. 2025;387(6739).

Associated coverage

• • Science Perspective: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw1567
  • Nature Reviews Cardiology Highlight: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01151-0
  • University of Houston News: https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2025/march/03172025-heart-formation-layers-wu.php

• Miao L, Lu Y, Nusrat A, Zhao L, Castillo M, Xiao Y, Guo H, Liu Y, Gunaratne P, Schwartz RJ, Burns AR, Kumar A, DiPersio CM, Wu M.* β1 Integrins Regulate Cellular Behaviors and Cardiomyocyte Organization During Ventricular Wall Formation. Cardiovascular Research. 2024;120(11):1279-1294.

Associated coverage

• • https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240610140204.htm
  • https://www.miragenews.com/discovery-unlocks-secret-to-fetal-heart-1252703/
  • https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2024/june/06102024-mingfu-wu-heart-developing-spongy-disease.php
• Miao L, Li J, Li J, Lu Y, Shieh D, Mazurkiewicz JE, Barroso M, Schwarz JJ, Xin H, Singer HA, Vincent P, Zhong W, Radice GL, Wan LQ, Fan ZC, Huang G, Wu M.* Cardiomyocyte Orientation Modulated by the Numb Family Proteins–N-Cadherin Axis Is Essential for Ventricular Wall Morphogenesis. PNAS. 2019;116(31):15560-15569.
• Li J, Miao L, Shieh D, Spiotto E, Li J, Zhou B, Paul A, Schwartz RJ, Firulli AB, Singer HA, Huang G, Wu M.* Single-Cell Lineage Tracing Reveals that Oriented Cell Division Contributes to Trabecular Morphogenesis and Trabecular Regional Specification. Cell Reports. 2016.
• Wu M, Smith CL, Hall JA, Lee I, Luby-Phelps K, Tallquist MD. Epicardial Spindle Orientation Controls Cell Entry into the Myocardium. Developmental Cell. 2010;19(1):114-125.
• Wu M, Kwon H, Rattis F, Blum J, Zhao C, Ashkenazi R, Jackson TL, Gaiano N, Oliver T, Reya T. Imaging Hematopoietic Precursor Division in Real Time. Cell Stem Cell. 2007;1:541-554.

• Associated coverage

  • • Featured in The Scientist
• Wu M, Smith CL, Hall JA, Lee I, Luby-Phelps K, Tallquist MD. Epicardial Spindle Orientation Controls Cell Entry into the Myocardium. Developmental Cell. 2010;19(1):114-125.
• Wu M, Kwon H, Rattis F, Blum J, Zhao C, Ashkenazi R, Jackson TL, Gaiano N, Oliver T, Reya T. Imaging Hematopoietic Precursor Division in Real Time. Cell Stem Cell. 2007;1:541-554.

Research Support

• 2R01HL121700-12A1 (PI: Wu)
  NIH/NHLBI | November 15, 2014 – May 31, 2031 (Competitive Renewal Pending)
  Impact Score: 18; Percentile: 2

  Title: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of the Pathogenesis of Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC)

  This project investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying LVNC and explores potential therapeutic approaches for this disease.

• 1R01HL172834-01 (PI, WU) NIH/NHLBI, 04/01/2024 - 03/31/2028

Mechanisms of signaling interaction between endocardium and myocardium

This project will determine how a microstructure called signaling bridge linking myocardium and endocardium regulates the signaling interaction between myocardium and endocardium.

• 25EIA1422015 (PI: Wu) AHA, 04/01/2025-03/30/2030

Long-distant cellular interaction regulates cardiac morphogenesis

The major goals of this project are to determine the roles of tunneling nanotube on disease progression and therapeutic targeting.

• 24TPA1303770 (PI: Wu) AHA, 07/01/2024-06/30/2027

Determine the genetic and cellular basis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome

The major goals of this project are to determine pathogenesis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome at the cellular and molecular level. Specifically, we will determine how the mutation of Myrf will cause hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

• 2R01HL121700-06A1 (PI, WU) NIH/NHLBI, 06/01/2020 - 05/31/2025

Signaling by β1 integrins regulates ventricular wall morphogenesis and compaction

This project will determine how β1 integrins mediated ventricular contraction regulates trabecular formation and ventricular compaction.

• 20TPA35490051 (PI, Wu) American Heart Association, 01/01/2021-12/31/2023)

Integrin alpha 6 regulates trabecular specification and trabecular compaction

The major goals of this project are to determine how the trabecular zone is specified, how integrin alpha 6 is involved in the trabecular specification and compaction, and what are the downstream targets of integrin alpha 6 during the trabecular specification and compaction.

• 1 R01 HL148104-01A1 (PI: Wan) (CO-I: Wu) NIH/NHLBI/NICH, 05/01/2021 – 04/30/2025

Understanding Cardiac C-Looping Using Microscale In Vitro Models

The major goals of this project are to define the role of protein kinase C in determining cell chirality and to reveal biomechanical and biomolecular mechanism of cardiac asymmetric looping with engineering tools and animal models.

New Funding by Trainees

• 26POST1568482 (PI: Luqi Zhao; Sponsor: Mingfu Wu)
  American Heart Association | January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027

Title: Pathogenesis of Acquired Left Ventricular Non-Compaction

This project seeks to determine how ablation of Numb Family Proteins in adult hearts leads to ventricular non-compaction.

• 24SCEFIA1248800 (PI: Miao) (Sponsor: Wu) AHA 04/01/2024-03/31/2027

Epicardial cell multipotency and homogeneity during development and regeneration

The major goal of this project is to determine the multipotency and homogeneity during development and regeneration.

• 23PRE1025768 (PI: Nusrat) (Sponsor: Wu) AHA 01/01/2023-12/31/2024

NFPs Regulate Cardiac Fibroblasts Differentiation During Development and Fibrosis in Aging and Injured Hearts

The major goal of this project is to determine the functions of NFP in cardiac fibrosis.

• 25PRE1378967 (PI: Guo) (Sponsor: Wu) AHA 01/01/2025-12/31/2026

NFPs regulate trabecular specification and compaction

The major goal of this project is to determine the functions of NFP in trabecular specification and compaction during embryonic development.

Awards & Honors

• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Teacher and Mentor of the Year, 2026
• Faculty Excellence in Research Award, UH College of Pharmacy, 2025
• Established Investigator Award from AHA, 2025-2030
• Transformational Project Award from AHA, 2024-2027
• Transformational Project Award from AHA, 2020-2023
• R01 NIH Young Investigator Award, Nov. 2014- Nov. 2019
• AHA SDG award, 2013-2017
• Travel Awards for Weinstein Conference, 2013
• AHA postdoctoral fellowship, 2009-2010
• Travel awards from SDB annual meeting, 2010
• Star Postdoctoral Fellow at UTSW, 2009
• Travel awards from UTSW