How common genetic changes lead to abnormal heart rhythms
From variants to mechanisms for cardiac arrhythmias
Researchers are linking common genetic differences to changes in heart cells to help people with atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11121025 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project traces DNA regions tied to arrhythmia risk and looks at how they change gene activity in heart cells. The team uses lab-grown human cardiomyocytes with controllable gene edits (CRISPR) to observe effects on electrical function while measuring RNA and protein changes. They will also analyze human atrial tissue using single-nucleus RNA sequencing to connect patients' genetic variants to cell-level effects. Together these approaches aim to reveal mechanisms that could point to new therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with atrial fibrillation or other cardiac arrhythmias who can donate atrial tissue during surgery or ablation or enroll in observational tissue/sampling protocols.
Not a fit: People without arrhythmias or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefits from participating in this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets and pathways for more precise treatments of atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab work using CRISPR modulation and single-nucleus RNA sequencing has revealed important gene regulation in heart cells, but systematically mapping common human risk variants to mechanisms in atrial tissue is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Syracuse, United States
- Upstate Medical University — Syracuse, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tucker, Nathan R — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Tucker, Nathan R
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.