How Heart Cells Form and Organize

Mechanisms of Juxta-Cardiac Field Progenitors

NIH-funded research University of California, San Diego · NIH-11051271

This research aims to understand how different types of heart cells are created and organized to form a healthy heart, which could help us learn more about congenital heart conditions.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Diego NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11051271 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Our hearts are made of many different kinds of cells that work together to pump blood throughout the body. We want to discover how these various heart cells are made during development and how they arrange themselves into the complex structures of the heart. By using advanced experimental and computational methods, we will explore the specific cells that contribute to heart formation and how they develop into their specialized roles. This work will also look at whether these fundamental processes are similar in human heart development.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research is not recruiting patients but aims to benefit future patients affected by congenital heart malformations.

Not a fit: Patients currently seeking treatment for heart conditions will not receive direct benefit from this basic science research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide a deeper understanding of congenital heart disease, potentially leading to new ways to prevent or treat these conditions in the future.

How similar studies have performed: This research builds upon existing knowledge of heart development but explores new specific cell types and regulatory networks that are not yet fully understood.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.