How the c‑Src protein in heart mitochondria may weaken the right side of the heart in pulmonary hypertension
Official title: Role of Mitochondrial c-Src in Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Pulmonary Hypertension
Funded at Ocean State Research Institute, INC. · NIH-11290408 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if fixing how the mitochondrial protein c‑Src works can protect the right side of the heart in adults with pulmonary hypertension.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ocean State Research Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $427,839 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169456-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290408 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with pulmonary hypertension, especially those showing right ventricular dysfunction, would be the group most likely to be eligible for related future trials or tissue‑donation opportunities.
✕Less likely to help
People without pulmonary hypertension or whose right heart failure is due to irreversible structural damage are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will look at the heart’s energy factories (mitochondria) in right‑sided heart muscle to understand how the protein c‑Src changes energy production and causes damage in pulmonary hypertension. They will study heart cells, mitochondrial complexes, and related chemical signals using laboratory models and tissue samples to trace how c‑Src affects complex I assembly and reactive oxygen species. The team aims to identify molecular steps that could be targeted by new drugs to support right ventricular function in adults with pulmonary hypertension.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that protect the right ventricle and improve outcomes for people with pulmonary hypertension.
How similar studies have gone: Mitochondrial‑targeting approaches have shown promise in lab and animal studies of heart disease, but specifically targeting mitochondrial c‑Src in the right ventricle of pulmonary hypertension is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ocean State Research Institute, INC.
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Peng — Ocean State Research Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Peng
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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.