Exploring a therapy to prevent heart damage from cancer treatment
Official title: Mitochondrial iron export therapy for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
Funded at University of Massachusetts Lowell · NIH-11018546 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to protect your heart from damage caused by a common cancer drug called doxorubicin by finding out how too much iron in heart cells can lead to problems, and it hopes to create new treatments that keep your heart safe while still fighting cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Lowell NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lowell, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $568,943 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166541-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11018546 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients who are being treated with doxorubicin and are at risk of developing heart problems.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not receiving doxorubicin or those without a risk of cardiotoxicity may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to prevent heart damage caused by doxorubicin, a common cancer treatment. It focuses on understanding the role of excess iron in heart cells and how it contributes to this damage. By targeting and removing this excess iron, the research aims to protect the heart while allowing doxorubicin to effectively treat cancer. Patients may benefit from new therapies that can reduce the risk of heart problems associated with their cancer treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to therapies that protect cancer patients from heart damage caused by doxorubicin.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using iron chelation to mitigate heart damage from doxorubicin, suggesting that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Jonghan — University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Study coordinator: Kim, Jonghan
Related research
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Precision imaging of heart damage from cancer treatment using metabolic MRI biomarkers
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PET imaging to detect heart damage from chemotherapy
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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.