How the Heart Controls Calcium for Health and Heart Failure
Official title: Calcium Pump Regulation in Health and Disease
Funded at Loyola University Chicago · NIH-11360489 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how calcium-handling proteins in the heart work normally and what goes wrong in heart failure, with the aim of finding new ways to treat it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loyola University Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Maywood, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2008 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $779,323 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HL092321-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360489 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with or at risk for heart failure who may benefit from a better understanding of calcium handling in the heart.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart disease or risk factors for heart failure may not directly benefit from this basic mechanistic study.
What this research studies
This project will look at how the heart uses calcium to pump and relax, focusing on a key regulator called phospholamban and its interaction with the calcium pump SERCA. It will explore how small peptides produced during disease affect this system, and how a protease that changes these peptides may disrupt calcium handling in heart failure. The work combines detailed molecular studies with disease models to uncover new regulatory mechanisms that could become therapeutic targets. The findings could lead to novel strategies to improve heart function during exercise and in heart failure patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new targets to restore proper calcium regulation in the heart, potentially improving heart function and outcomes for people with heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work supports the idea that calcium regulation is a viable therapeutic target in heart disease, though this specific three-aim approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Loyola University Chicago
Maywood, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robia, Seth L — Loyola University Chicago
- Study coordinator: Robia, Seth L
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.