CARM1 and how heart muscle cells mature
Carm1-mediated transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of cardiomyocyte maturation
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · NIH-11252598
This work looks at how the protein CARM1 helps immature heart muscle cells mature, with the goal of improving future treatments for heart disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252598 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how CARM1 (a protein that modifies other proteins) controls the molecular and structural changes that let heart muscle cells become fully functional. They will use laboratory models of cardiomyocytes, genetic approaches to alter CARM1, and genomic methods such as ATAC-seq to see how gene activity and cell structure change. The team will examine effects on cell size, muscle fiber organization, and mitochondrial function to identify pathways that drive maturation. Findings are intended to guide ways to make lab-grown heart cells more like adult cells and to inform future therapies for heart disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be adults with heart disease who can donate tissue or provide cells or clinical samples (or donors of cells used to generate patient-derived pluripotent stem cell lines).
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate clinical treatment or emergency care are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reveal targets to help lab-grown or patient heart cells mature better, benefiting regenerative treatments for heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior molecular studies have advanced understanding of cardiomyocyte maturation, but targeting CARM1 for this purpose is a relatively new and exploratory approach.
Where this research is happening
CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES
- UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL — CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LIU, JIANDONG — UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- Study coordinator: LIU, JIANDONG
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.