Finding sugar-coated proteins on heart cells to learn about heart disease
Harnessing Glycoproteomics and Glycomics to Understand Cardiac Biology and Disease
This project builds lab tools to find and measure sugar-linked proteins on heart cells to help make better stem-cell heart cells and improve care for people with heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323879 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing advanced mass spectrometry and computer tools to spot proteins and sugars on the surface of heart cells. They work with small numbers of human cells, including lab-grown stem-cell cardiomyocytes and samples from healthy and failing human hearts. The team uses these markers to identify and sort mature heart cells and to map cell-type specific protein and sugar patterns in diseased hearts. The goal is to make more uniform stem-cell heart cells for research and future therapies and to discover ways to monitor and treat advanced heart failure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with heart disease—especially those with advanced heart failure undergoing procedures like transplant or device surgery who can donate small heart tissue samples for research.
Not a fit: People without heart disease or those who cannot or do not want to donate tissue are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce clearer biomarkers and purer stem-cell-derived heart cells that improve future monitoring and treatments for people with heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: Related mass-spectrometry and glycoproteomics research has identified useful heart cell markers, but applying these methods to stem-cell cardiomyocytes and failing human hearts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Omaha, United States
- University of Nebraska Medical Center — Omaha, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gundry, Rebekah L. — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Gundry, Rebekah L.
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.