How metabolism affects heart development in embryos
Official title: Regional specific metabolism regulates specification of the Spemann Organizer
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11135350 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the way early embryos use energy affects heart development, especially in a key area that helps shape the heart, and it aims to find out how this knowledge could help prevent heart problems in babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $685,319 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD114493-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135350 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are newborns and children diagnosed with congenital heart disease or those at risk due to metabolic disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with congenital heart disease not related to metabolic factors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the metabolism of early embryos influences the development of the heart, particularly focusing on a specific region known as the Spemann-Mangold Organizer. By studying the Xenopus embryo, the researchers aim to understand how oxygen consumption and metabolic processes dictate cell fate and contribute to congenital heart diseases. The project explores the relationship between metabolic signaling pathways and heart development, which could lead to new insights into preventing heart malformations in newborns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing congenital heart disease in infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding metabolic influences on development, but this specific approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khokha, Mustafa K — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Khokha, Mustafa K
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Community Health Worker–Led Hypertension Prevention and Control in Nepal
A community health worker–driven approach in Nepal aims to prevent and control high blood pressure among adults by bringing education and care directly to communities and homes.
-
Community health worker-led hypertension prevention and control in Nepal
A community health worker–led program in Nepal aims to help adults prevent and better control high blood pressure through home visits, education, and ongoing support.
-
Adapting a mobile health tool to boost HIV outcomes for older adults with HIV in Ukraine
A mobile health platform called PositiveLinks would be adapted for older adults with HIV in Ukraine to help them stay engaged in care and improve treatment success.
-
Behavioral and neural links between spoken language sounds and written words in young children
This grant studies how young children learn from listening and reading to improve literacy, by looking at how sound patterns transfer to written language.
-
Understanding how autoimmunity causes myasthenia gravis
This project looks at why the immune system attacks the nerve-muscle connection in myasthenia gravis and how different patient groups are affected.
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.