How genes and tiny RNA molecules affect the heart
Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms of Heart Disease
This program maps how genetic changes and microRNAs alter heart cells to help people with heart failure and arrhythmias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321556 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research looks at how genetic changes and small molecules called microRNAs control heart cells and how that goes wrong in heart failure and arrhythmias. The team will compare microRNA binding sites in nonfailing and diseased human heart tissue using high-throughput methods to map these interactions. They will search for common genetic variants (SNPs) that change microRNA interactions and then test whether those changes affect mitochondrial function and ion channels in heart cells. Most work uses human heart tissue and lab experiments to connect molecular findings to heart disease biology.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or cardiac arrhythmias, or patients able to donate heart tissue during surgery, would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: People without cardiac disease or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic and translational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological markers or targets that lead to better ways to predict, prevent, or treat heart failure and arrhythmias.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked microRNAs and genetic variants to heart disease in cells and animal models, but mapping these interactions directly in human heart tissue is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boudreau, Ryan L — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Boudreau, Ryan L
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.