Gene therapy to prevent dangerous heart rhythms after a heart attack
Official title: Translating post-infarct ventricular tachycardia mechanisms into a therapy
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11247941 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing a gene-based heart treatment to lower the risk of life‑threatening ventricular tachycardia in people who have had a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | January 9, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $780,600 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL167527-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247941 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people who have had a myocardial infarction and who have scar‑related ventricular tachycardia or are judged at high risk for VT due to infarct borderzone scarring.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without post‑MI scar‑related ventricular arrhythmias, with primary electrical disorders unrelated to infarct scarring, or who are not eligible for epicardial interventions may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project develops a gene-based approach delivered to the outer surface of the heart using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to change electrical behavior in scarred heart tissue. The team targets proteins (KCNE3 and KCNE4) that create uneven recovery of heart cells and also tests genes that can slow or speed conduction to interrupt the abnormal circuits that cause ventricular tachycardia. Researchers use laboratory and animal models and specialized epicardial 'gene painting' techniques to achieve full‑thickness delivery to the damaged region of the heart. The goal is to translate those preclinical results into a therapy that could one day be offered to people after a heart attack who are at risk for scar‑related VT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce or eliminate deadly ventricular tachycardia and lower the risk of sudden cardiac death after a heart attack.
How similar studies have gone: Related gene‑transfer approaches have shown promise in preclinical (animal and lab) studies, but human applications for preventing scar‑related VT remain experimental and novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Donahue, J Kevin — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Donahue, J Kevin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Map heart tissue to guide VT ablation with AI help
A patient-oriented project aims to use AI-based mapping to better identify abnormal heart tissue responsible for ventricular tachycardia and guide safer, faster ablation.
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Proton SBRT for refractory ventricular tachycardia with real-time 3D/4D imaging
A patient-facing study exploring a proton-based, noninvasive radiation therapy to treat stubborn VT using advanced 3D and 4D imaging to target the heart safely.
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Venous ethanol ablation to treat ischemic VT (VE-VT)
A new treatment approach uses ethanol delivered through heart veins to help stop dangerous heart rhythms in patients with previous heart damage.
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Novel gene therapy tools to prevent dangerous heart rhythms
A small grant supports testing gene-therapy methods to stop ventricular tachycardia after a heart attack, with the goal of helping people at risk of sudden heart rhythm problems.
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Radiation-guided ablation for ventricular tachycardia
This project tests a noninvasive radiation approach to ablate heart tissue in people with dangerous ventricular tachycardia to reduce the need for invasive procedures.
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Low-Field MRI–Guided Robotic Catheter System for VT Ablation
A research project is testing a new low-field MRI–guided robotic catheter to improve treatment of ventricular tachycardia for patients with abnormal heart structure.
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.