Druggable targets for unexplained ventricular fibrillation caused by PVCs (premature heartbeats)
Multiomics and Functional Characterization Establish Druggable Targets for PVC-Driven Idiopathic VF
This project uses patient-derived heart cells and computer modeling to find biological targets for new medicines for adults with unexplained ventricular fibrillation linked to PVCs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162531 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will collect my cells and turn them into induced pluripotent stem cells that become heart cells to study how arrhythmias start. They will grow mixed ventricular and Purkinje-like cell cultures, run multi-omics (genes, RNA, proteins) and electrical tests, and use computer models that reflect different heart regions. By comparing patient-specific lab models and computational results, the team aims to find molecular pathways that trigger PVC-driven VF and identify druggable targets. The work is led by UW-Madison in collaboration with a Bordeaux group that helped define this PVC-IVF patient group.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation linked to premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), especially patients recruited through the UW-Madison and Bordeaux collaborations, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose ventricular fibrillation is explained by a known genetic syndrome, structural heart disease, or not driven by PVCs are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets that prevent or reduce life-threatening PVC-triggered ventricular fibrillation.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived iPSC heart cell and multiomic approaches have produced useful insights in some inherited arrhythmias, but applying this combined method specifically to PVC-driven idiopathic VF is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eckhardt, Lee Lochbaum — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Eckhardt, Lee Lochbaum
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.