The Genetic Aortic Network is a division of The Marfan Foundation.
The Genetic Aortic Network builds upon the successes of the GenTAC Registry, which enrolled and followed participants from 2006 to 2016.
The Network aims to identify knowledge gaps in the treatment of genetic aortic and vascular conditions; convene researchers and healthcare professionals working in this space; increase the understanding of these conditions by healthcare professionals, leading to better patient outcomes worldwide; and accelerate the pace of research focused on these conditions.
Featured Events & Content
Uncovering the Early Role of Immune Cells in Marfan Syndrome Aortopathy
Join the Genetic Aortic Network on October 20 at 4:00 p.m. ET for a webinar titled, “Uncovering…
Science in Spain 2026
The Marfan Foundation is collaborating with the European Society of Cardiology’s Peripheral…
AORTIC LIVE Symposium
AORTIC LIVE is an international, academically led educational symposium dedicated exclusively to…
Best Practices for Preclinical Thoracic Aortopathy Studies
On April 21, 2026, the Genetic Aortic Network hosted a webinar on highlights from…
Genetic Aortic Network Summit
The Genetic Aortic Network Summit is one of the premier meetings in the world focused on sharing…
The Critical Role of Early Genetic Testing for Children with Suspected Connective Tissue Conditions
Rajani Aatre, MS, MSc, LCGC, senior genetic counselor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine…
Shareable Resources for Your Patients: Aortic Dissection Awareness Week
The Marfan Foundation’s 2025 Aortic Dissection Awareness Week website, full of shareable resources…
GenTAC Alliance becomes Genetic Aortic Network, a Division of the Marfan Foundation
In a move aimed at both emphasizing the importance of the Marfan Foundation’s “science arm”…
Imaging findings of Marfan syndrome: What radiologists need to know
In a recent article for Aunt Minnie, Sanjeev Bhalla, MD, and Mensur Koso, MD, both from the…
Upcoming & Past Webinars
Uncovering the Early Role of Immune Cells in Marfan Syndrome Aortopathy
Join the Genetic Aortic Network on October 20 at 4:00 p.m. ET for a webinar titled, “Uncovering the Early Role of Immune Cells in Marfan Syndrome Aortopathy.” During this session, Julie De Backer, MD, PhD (Ghent University, Belgium), Patrick Sips, PhD (Ghent University, Belgium), Hiromi Yanagisawa, MD, PhD (University of Tsukuba, Japan), and Lynn Sakai, PhD (Oregon Health & Science University, USA) will present the latest experimental and clinical data on the role of immune cells in Marfan syndrome aortopathy. The study team will discuss evidence from mouse models showing that immune cell involvement begins early in the disease process, before major structural aortic damage is visible. They will also look at how these findings align with observations of immune cells in aortic tissue biopsies from patients undergoing surgery.
Best Practices for Preclinical Aortopathy Studies
This webinar, held on April 21, 2026, explores best practices for choosing and describing murine models of thoracic aortopathy, optimizing experimental conditions, and ensuring robust reporting standards.
Genetic Variation in Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV)
In this webinar from January 16, 2025, Dr. Simon Body of Boston University shares the recent results of a large multi-center study on the genetic associations with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease. He also covers the implications of these findings for the observed high frequency of calcific aortic valve disease and aortic aneurysm in individuals with BAV.
Integrating Mental Health Screening into Aortopathy Care
In this webinar, Sharon Zachariah, BS, and Siddharth Prakash, MD, PhD, both of UTHealth Houston, discuss their innovative approach to incorporating mental health screenings into thoracic aortic disease (TAD) care. They share the program’s outcomes and discuss how it can be standardized in clinics worldwide to improve the mental health of individuals with TAD.
Highlights from Tromsø Aorta 2024
On October 15, 2024, Dr. Kim Eagle, GenTAC chair and director of the Frankel Cardiovascular Center at University of Michigan, shared key insights from the 8th GenTAC Aortic Summit held in Tromsø, Norway in August.
Molecular and cellular dynamics in aortic diseases: New insights from single-cell transcriptomic studies
In this webinar from March 7, 2024, speakers discussed the latest discoveries gained from single-cell transcriptomic studies, focusing on the changes in aortic cells and inflammatory cells during the development of aortic aneurysms and aortic dissection.
Sexual Dimorphism in Thoracic Aortic Disease
Webinar speakers present evidence of sexual dimorphism in heritable thoracic aortic disease in both animal models and humans.
Accessing GenTAC Data and Biospecimens Using BioLINCC
This webinar covers the process for accessing data and biospecimens from the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC) available through BioLINCC.
Exploiting Advantages of the Zebrafish Model for the Study of Aortopathies
This webinar covers recent progress with mutant zebrafish models, including their ability to provide clinically pertinent clues regarding true pathogenecity.
