How heart muscle filaments control pumping strength
Official title: Dual filament control of myocardial power and hemodynamics
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11227580 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether changes in heart muscle proteins help the heart pump stronger, which could benefit people with heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $669,778 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HL148785-05A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11227580 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with heart failure or those undergoing heart surgery or transplant (who could donate tissue samples) would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart muscle disease or whose symptoms come from non-cardiac causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
Scientists are examining a heart protein called cMyBP-C and other muscle filaments to see how they affect the heart's power when pumping against pressure. They will use biochemical and biophysical lab tests, genetically modified models, and measurements from failing human heart tissue to see how filament behavior changes. Those results will be combined with detailed computer models that connect changes at the muscle fiber level to overall blood flow and heart function. The team aims to identify molecular steps that could be targeted by small-molecule drugs to help hearts that are failing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could point to new drug targets that help failing hearts pump more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and modeling studies by this team have produced promising mechanistic findings, but applying these insights to patient treatments remains early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Kerry S — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Kerry S
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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.