Creating a Bioengineered Heart for Transplant

Coordinated Heart Stimulation Testbed: A Platform for Contractile Ventricle Engineering

['FUNDING_R01'] · TEXAS HEART INSTITUTE · NIH-11126622

This project aims to develop a lab-grown heart using human cells to help patients with severe heart failure.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorTEXAS HEART INSTITUTE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (HOUSTON, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11126622 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Heart failure is a major health problem, and there aren't enough donor hearts for everyone who needs a transplant. This project is working to create a functional, lab-grown heart chamber using human stem cells and 3D printing techniques. Researchers are developing special systems to help these lab-grown heart cells mature properly, so they can eventually form a working heart. The ultimate goal is to engineer a transplantable heart from human cells to address the shortage of donor organs.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients with end-stage heart failure who require a heart transplant could potentially benefit from this future technology.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have heart failure or whose condition does not require a heart transplant would not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide a new source of transplantable hearts, offering hope to patients with end-stage heart failure who currently face long waits for donor organs.

How similar studies have performed: While previous efforts to build functional bioartificial heart chambers have faced challenges, this project proposes a novel integrated platform to overcome these limitations.

Where this research is happening

HOUSTON, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.