Assessing heart damage from chemotherapy using human heart cells
Official title: High-throughput assessment of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in 3D human cardiomyocytes
Funded at Emory University · NIH-10936818 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how chemotherapy can affect heart health, especially by causing irregular heartbeats, and it uses human heart cells to find better ways to protect cancer patients from these side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $402,403 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA285254-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10936818 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy, particularly those treated with anthracyclines or similar drugs.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing chemotherapy or those with pre-existing severe heart conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how chemotherapy drugs can cause heart damage, particularly focusing on the risk of arrhythmias. By using human heart cells derived from stem cells, the study aims to create a high-throughput system to evaluate the effects of these drugs on heart function. The approach allows for a more accurate understanding of how chemotherapy impacts heart health compared to traditional animal models. The goal is to identify potential new treatments to prevent or mitigate heart-related side effects in cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved therapies that protect patients' hearts during cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using human cell models to study drug effects, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Chunhui — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Xu, Chunhui
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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-
Genetic clues for doxorubicin heart risk using patient-derived heart cells
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-
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-
PPAR-alpha and sex differences in chemotherapy-related heart injury
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-
Preventing heart damage from chemotherapy in older lymphoma patients
This study is looking to help older adults with lymphoma by finding ways to prevent heart damage from chemotherapy, figuring out who might be at risk, and understanding what patients and doctors prefer when it comes to treatment options.
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.