How scaffold shape and heart blood flow affect living mitral valve implants
Reciprocal effects between scaffold geometry and ventricular vortex flow on viability and performance of tissue-engineered mitral valve
Creating living mitral valve implants that use scaffold shape and natural heart vortex flow to work and last longer for younger people needing mitral valve replacement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11250086 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear that researchers are designing biodegradable valve scaffolds shaped like the natural mitral leaflets and testing how the left ventricle's swirling blood flow affects tissue growth and valve function. They will use lab models that mimic the heart's transmitral vortex and apply physiological forces to see if scaffold geometry prevents leaflet shrinkage and regurgitation. The team aims to produce a tissue-engineered mitral valve that remodels under normal blood flow instead of degenerating quickly. If these preclinical results are promising, they could lead to future clinical trials of living mitral valve implants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal future candidates would be people with severe mitral valve disease who are candidates for valve replacement and seek durable alternatives to current bioprosthetic valves.
Not a fit: Patients without mitral valve disease, those only affected by other valve disorders (like isolated aortic valve disease), or people not eligible for surgery or clinical trials would not directly benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to living mitral valve implants that last longer and reduce repeat surgeries, especially for younger patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous tissue-engineered heart valve work has shown promise but has typically failed in preclinical testing due to scaffold shrinkage and inability to withstand real heart forces, so this project addresses a known gap.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kheradvar, Arash — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Kheradvar, Arash
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.