How the heart controls calcium to keep heartbeats strong
Regulation of Cardiac Calcium Transport
This project looks at how two heart proteins control calcium during exercise and recovery to better understand heart function in people with heart disease.
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 ID | NIH-11117100 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work examines how the heart moves calcium in and out of cells during exercise and recovery by focusing on the proteins phospholamban (PLB) and SERCA2a. Researchers will map how PLB binds to SERCA2a and how those interactions change when the heart rate rises, using structural lab experiments and computer modeling. They will test multiple ways PLB can attach to SERCA2a and measure how those arrangements affect calcium transport at the molecular level. Although mostly done in the lab, the findings aim to explain why calcium handling breaks down in heart disease and suggest targets for new therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with heart failure or other conditions linked to poor calcium handling in the heart would be most likely to benefit or to be recruited for follow-up translational studies.
Not a fit: People without cardiac problems, or with heart disease driven by causes unrelated to calcium handling, are less likely to see direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new treatments that improve heart muscle relaxation and contraction by targeting the PLB–SERCA interaction.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies have supported targeting SERCA and PLB, but clinical trials of SERCA2a gene therapy produced mixed results, so translation to patients remains uncertain.
Where this research is happening
Maywood, United States
- 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 below.