Until now, the reasons why some children are born with holes in their hearts, or faulty heart valves, have eluded doctors and scientists. Findings published online in the prestigious PNAS journal may hold at least some of the answers. “It’s a great tragedy when children need open heart surgery almost as soon as they are born,” said Professor Fabienne Mackay, Director of the Autoimmunity Research Unit at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. [click link for full article]