Exploring new ways to protect the heart during severe heart attacks using advanced life support.
Official title: New Approaches to Mitigate Left Ventricular Injury with VA-ECMO in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Funded at Tufts Medical Center · NIH-10889046 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a special heart support system called VA-ECMO can help protect the heart from damage during a severe heart attack, and it's designed for people who want to understand new ways to improve heart care in these situations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $851,853 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL159089-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10889046 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing acute myocardial infarction who may require advanced life support interventions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with chronic heart conditions or those not experiencing acute myocardial infarction may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how veno-arterial membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) can help reduce heart damage during acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aims to understand the mechanisms by which VA-ECMO affects heart injury, particularly focusing on its impact on mitochondrial function and reperfusion injury. By using large animal models that closely mimic human conditions, the research seeks to provide insights that could lead to new therapies for protecting the heart during severe heart attacks. The principal investigator is an expert in interventional cardiology and heart failure, bringing a wealth of knowledge to this critical area of study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that significantly reduce heart damage during heart attacks, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of VA-ECMO has increased in clinical settings, this specific investigation into its effects on myocardial injury is novel and has not been rigorously studied before.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kapur, Navin Kumar — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kapur, Navin Kumar
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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.