Epigenetic control of aging heart function
Official title: Epigenetic regulation of heart function in health and aging
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11443269 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist at a university is studying how aging changes heart function and whether a specific gene, KDM6A, influences this process to uncover ways to prevent or treat aging-related heart problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $624,442 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG094597-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11443269 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults experiencing aging-related heart changes or those at risk for heart aging who could participate in future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without aging-related heart risk or heart disease may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how aging affects the heart and whether changes in the KDM6A gene help explain why heart function declines. Researchers will use modern laboratory methods to study heart cells and epigenetic signals that control gene activity. The goal is to understand the mechanisms behind aging-related heart damage and identify potential targets for therapies. The work combines innovative techniques to explore how aging shapes heart health and disease risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new approaches to prevent or treat aging-related heart deterioration.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests epigenetic factors influence heart aging, with potential for new therapeutic targets, though findings are still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Zhongjie — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Sun, Zhongjie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.