Helping stem cells heal hearts better after a heart attack
Official title: Improving the efficacy of cell-based cardiac repair
Funded at University of Nevada Las Vegas · NIH-11335256 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will see if treating mesenchymal stem cells with a protein called Wnt11 helps them survive and mend heart muscle damaged by a heart attack in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Las Vegas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Vegas, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $513,296 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL173789-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11335256 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have had a recent myocardial infarction and might be eligible for experimental cell-based therapy would be the most likely candidates for future trials based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without ischemic heart damage, those with non-ischemic heart failure, or patients who are not candidates for cell therapy would be unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Researchers will treat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with recombinant Wnt11 and compare them to untreated MSCs in laboratory dishes to check adhesion, survival, and molecular changes. They will inject labeled MSCs into mice that have had a simulated heart attack to measure how many cells stay in the heart and how the heart tissue responds. Key experiments will also use human bone marrow MSCs and CD34+ humanized mice to make the findings more relevant to people. Molecular pathways tied to vessel growth and inflammation will be studied using specific pathway inhibitors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve the effectiveness of stem-cell therapy after heart attacks by increasing cell survival, reducing scarring, and improving heart function.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials of unmodified MSCs have produced modest or inconsistent results, and using Wnt11 to enhance MSC survival is a novel preclinical strategy with promising but unproven evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dawn, Buddhadeb — University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Study coordinator: Dawn, Buddhadeb
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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.