Aging-linked genetic modifiers and therapies for heart damage from cancer drugs
Official title: Discovering aging-associated genetic modifiers and therapies for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11377960 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how aging-related genetic factors influence heart damage caused by anthracycline chemotherapy and explores potential therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $659,717 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL176555-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377960 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who receive or may receive anthracycline chemotherapy and have risk factors for cardiac toxicity.
✕Less likely to help
The study is focused on genetic and aging factors and may not directly benefit individuals without relevant cancer treatment exposure or genetic susceptibility.
What this research studies
Researchers at Mayo Clinic Rochester are using zebrafish to uncover genetic factors that affect how patients’ hearts respond to anthracycline chemotherapy. They will test genes suggested by human studies to see which ones increase or reduce risk of cardiotoxicity and explore aging-related changes in the heart’s outer layer as a possible treatment avenue. The work combines animal models with human genetic data to identify targets for preventing heart damage in cancer patients. The project builds on preliminary findings that certain genes may modify risk and aims to translate those insights into safer chemotherapy for aging populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to strategies that reduce chemotherapy-related heart damage in patients, enabling safer and more effective cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous zebrafish modifier screens and human GWAS efforts have identified potential genes, with ongoing work to validate and translate findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Xiaolei — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Xu, Xiaolei
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.