Cardiac polyploidy regulators in fruit flies and humans
Official title: Leveraging Drosophila to identify novel and conserved regulators of cardiomyocyte polyploidy
Funded at Augusta University · NIH-11580786 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher is studying how heart cells in humans and fruit flies control their DNA content to grow, hoping to uncover genes that keep the heart healthy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Augusta University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,976 |
| NIH project number | 4R00HL177179-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11580786 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with cardiac muscle conditions may benefit from future tests or therapies informed by these basic discoveries.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without heart disease may not directly benefit from this basic science.
What this research studies
This project uses fruit flies to search for genes that control how heart cells duplicate their DNA during development, with a focus on how these findings relate to human heart diseases. The team will combine fruit-fly genetics, advanced heart imaging, and studies in mammalian heart cells to identify genes that regulate polyploidy in cardiomyocytes. The goal is to uncover conserved mechanisms that could explain why some hearts fail when these growth processes go awry. If successful, the work may point to new targets for preventing or treating certain cardiomyopathies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Potentially leads to new insights and targets to prevent or treat heart muscle diseases in people.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research in model organisms and human cells suggests polyploidy regulation can impact heart function, supporting a translational path for these findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Augusta University
Augusta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chakraborty, Archan — Augusta University
- Study coordinator: Chakraborty, Archan
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.