Ex Vivo Storage and Revival of Living Heart Valves for Off-the-Shelf Allograft Transplants
Official title: Ex Vivo Storage, Preservation And Rehabilitation Of Living Heart Valves For Allogenic Valve Transplantation
Funded at Florida International University · NIH-11401687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant is about storing and reviving living heart valves from donors so they can be used in children who need replacements without repeated surgeries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida International University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Miami, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $689,248 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL179224-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with congenital valve disease who may benefit from growing, immune-friendly allograft valves.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not needing valve replacement or those not eligible for allograft transplantation may not benefit.
What this research studies
The project aims to keep donor heart valves alive outside the body for weeks, using a special preservation solution and biomimetic stimulation to preserve their growth potential. It will test methods to extend viability, reduce immune response, and make valves available off the shelf for pediatric patients with congenital valve disease. Researchers will evaluate tissue health and function across multiple scales to ensure valves stay viable for implantation. If successful, this could streamline access to growing, self-repairing valves for kids and reduce surgical burden.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive ready-to-use, growth-capable heart valves that reduce need for future surgeries.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests viability can be preserved with advanced storage strategies, but this approach is among newer, translational efforts.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida International University
Miami, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kalfa, David — Florida International University
- Study coordinator: Kalfa, David
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.