Alternative polyadenylation in heart fibrosis
Official title: Alternative polyadenylation regulation in cardiac fibrosis
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11449446 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing how changes in gene regulation after a gene is read (via APA) influence heart fibrosis and whether adjusting this process could help heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $789,693 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL172902-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449446 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with or at risk for heart failure due to cardiac fibrosis could be relevant for future translational steps.
✕Less likely to help
Currently, this basic mechanistic study may not benefit patients directly during the grant period.
What this research studies
This project looks at how a specific post-transcriptional mechanism, APA, affects fibroblast behavior and fibrosis in the heart. They will study how reducing NUDT21 changes 3′ UTR lengths, which can alter message stability and protein production, in heart cells. Through transcriptomic and biochemical tests and experiments in living models, they aim to map how APA remodeling drives fibrotic gene activation and whether restoring NUDT21 could promote heart recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new ways to prevent or reverse heart fibrosis and improve outcomes for people with heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked APA and miRNA regulation to fibrosis, but translating these findings to therapy remains an active area.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Amirthalingam Thandavarayan, Rajarajan — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Amirthalingam Thandavarayan, Rajarajan
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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.