How heart muscle thick filaments control contraction in healthy and diseased hearts
Official title: Thick filament regulation mechanisms in healthy and diseased myocardium
Funded at Illinois Institute of Technology · NIH-11235943 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the heart's thick filaments control contraction to help people with inherited cardiomyopathies from sarcomere mutations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Illinois Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $387,492 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171657-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235943 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inherited (sarcomeric) cardiomyopathies—for example hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy linked to sarcomere gene mutations—are the most relevant patient group.
✕Less likely to help
People whose heart problems come from non-sarcomeric causes such as coronary artery disease, valve disease, or purely metabolic conditions may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
From the patient's point of view, researchers are using pig heart tissue that closely resembles human hearts to learn how thick filaments (the heart's force-producing machinery) are organized and work. They will combine structural imaging, biochemical assays, and mechanical testing to see how normal and disease-related changes affect contraction. The team hopes to pinpoint parts of the thick filament machinery that could be targeted by new drugs. Results aim to guide development of therapies that address the root causes of sarcomere-based cardiomyopathies rather than just treating symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new drug targets and treatment characteristics that improve heart muscle function and slow or prevent progression of sarcomere-related cardiomyopathies.
How similar studies have gone: Related efforts targeting sarcomere proteins (for example, myosin modulators) have shown clinical promise, but focused thick filament–based approaches remain relatively new and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Weikang — Illinois Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Ma, Weikang
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.