How mechanical forces shape aging muscles and heart function
Mechanogenetics: An Integrated Approach to Aging in Muscle Dysfunction
Testing ways to restore structural proteins and nuclear flexibility to keep heart and muscle cells working better as people age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11132364 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are looking at how the inner structure of muscle and heart cells changes with age and makes them weaker. They use fruit fly hearts, non-human primate tissue, and lab methods such as ATAC-seq and atomic force microscopy to measure chromatin access, sarcomere spacing, and nuclear stiffness. The team will try boosting proteins like vinculin or Lamin C and altering matrix proteins to preserve cell mechanics and gene activity. They will also map the physical links (LINC complexes) between sarcomeres and nuclei to see if fixing those links helps maintain heart performance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults with age-related heart muscle weakening or early signs of cardiac aging would be most relevant to the findings and future clinical efforts.
Not a fit: People with acute heart injury (for example a recent heart attack) or strictly congenital heart defects may not see direct benefit from aging-focused approaches described here.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to treatments that preserve heart muscle strength and slow age-related decline in cardiac function.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies showed restoring vinculin or Lamin C helped preserve heart function in flies and primates, but applying these approaches to humans is still untested.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Engler, Adam J — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Engler, Adam J
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.