Helping the heart recover after a heart attack by targeting blood vessel cell proteins (epsins)
Official title: Targeting Endothelial Epsins to Ameliorate Myocardial Ischemia
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11134643 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether blocking a protein called epsins in the cells that line blood vessels can help the heart heal better after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 8, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $775,931 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL174928-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134643 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with coronary artery disease or people who have recently had a myocardial infarction would be the likely candidates for future trials based on this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without artery-related heart disease or those whose heart damage is from non-ischemic causes may not benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will focus on endothelial epsins—proteins in the cells that line blood vessels—and how they affect blood flow and repair after the heart is starved of oxygen. The team will use laboratory models (including animal models) and molecular approaches to see whether changing epsin activity boosts new vessel growth and reduces tissue damage after myocardial ischemia. The work may also use human-relevant samples to link the findings to human heart disease. Results will guide whether targeting epsins could move toward therapies for people with coronary artery disease or recent heart attacks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that promote blood vessel regrowth and reduce heart damage after heart attacks.
How similar studies have gone: Stimulating blood vessel growth has helped heart repair in prior animal studies, but specifically targeting endothelial epsins is a newer approach with limited human data so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Hong — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chen, Hong
Related research
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Targeting endothelial epsins to help the heart heal after a heart attack
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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.