Blood stem cells and heart disease
Hematopoiesis in Cardiovascular Disease
This project looks at whether changing how the bone marrow makes white blood cells can lower artery inflammation and reduce heart attacks in people at risk for heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11269188 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you'll help researchers study how the bone marrow produces immune cells that can inflame arteries and damage the heart. They will collect blood and sometimes bone marrow samples from people, measure inflammatory cells and signals, and compare these findings with heart disease events. Lab and animal models will be used alongside human samples to test ways to shift blood cell production toward less harmful immune responses. The team aims to identify targets that could lead to new treatments to prevent plaque inflammation and heart failure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with a history of coronary artery disease, recent heart attack, high cardiovascular risk, or signs of blood-driven inflammation.
Not a fit: People without cardiovascular disease or whose condition is driven by non-inflammatory causes may not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new immune-based treatments that reduce artery inflammation and lower the risk of heart attacks and heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Prior anti-inflammatory trials (for example targeting IL-1β) have reduced heart events, but directly targeting blood stem cells and hematopoiesis is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nahrendorf, Matthias — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Nahrendorf, Matthias
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 below.