Heart-repair materials that activate after a heart attack
Official title: MMP responsive polymeric materials for treating acute myocardial infarction
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11138668 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Injectable, enzyme-activated materials designed to be delivered by catheter to help the heart heal after an acute myocardial infarction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $580,572 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL139001-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11138668 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people who have recently experienced an acute myocardial infarction and are within the early treatment window when catheter-based intervention is possible.
✕Less likely to help
People with long-standing chronic heart failure, those many months or years past their heart attack, or those who cannot undergo catheter procedures are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would be offered an off-the-shelf injectable material delivered through a catheter that activates when it encounters enzymes released after a heart attack. The material is designed to hold and slowly release antioxidants or other drugs right at the injured heart tissue to limit scarring and support repair. Because it responds to the local post-heart-attack environment, it aims to reduce side effects compared with medicines that circulate through the whole body. Right now most testing is happening in the lab and in animal models at UC San Diego to check safety, catheter delivery, and targeted action on damaged heart tissue.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce heart damage after a heart attack and lower the risk of progressing to heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Injectable biomaterials have shown promise in animal studies and some early human work for supporting heart repair, but MMP-responsive, catheter-delivered materials are a newer approach still largely in preclinical testing.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Christman, Karen L — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Christman, Karen L
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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.