How heart support cells change after birth and during heart injury
Cardiac Fibroblasts in Postnatal Development and Adult Injury Response
['FUNDING_R01'] · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · NIH-11364910
This project looks at how heart support cells change as people grow and after heart injury to help find ways to reduce harmful scarring in adults with heart disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11364910 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying cardiac fibroblasts—the support cells that make scar tissue—by comparing their behavior during normal postnatal growth and after adult heart injury. They will map signaling between heart muscle cells and fibroblasts, focusing on molecules such as TGFβ, GDF10, and pleiotrophin that influence scarring and cell growth. The team uses a mix of developmental and disease-focused lab approaches, including molecular tools, tissue samples, and model systems, to see which signals drive harmful remodeling. Their work aims to find specific cellular signals that could be targeted to limit scarring after heart injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with recent heart injury, heart failure, or patients undergoing cardiac surgery who can provide cardiac tissue would be most directly connected to this work.
Not a fit: People without heart disease or with conditions unrelated to heart scarring are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that reduce heart scarring and help preserve heart function after injury.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and animal studies have shown these signaling pathways affect fibrosis, but using them to create new human treatments is still preliminary.
Where this research is happening
CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES
- CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR — CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MOLKENTIN, JEFFERY D — CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- Study coordinator: MOLKENTIN, JEFFERY D
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.