How the Runx1 gene affects scarring after a heart attack
Official title: The function of Runx1 in cardiac fibroblasts and post-myocardial infarction healing
Funded at Louisiana State Univ Agricultural Center · NIH-11229584 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a gene called Runx1 changes scar-forming heart cells after a heart attack to help improve healing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ Agricultural Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $403,972 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL157519-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11229584 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have recently had a heart attack or who have ongoing post-heart-attack scarring would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart disease or those whose heart damage is long-standing and irreversible are unlikely to benefit directly from this project in the near term.
What this research studies
After a heart attack, support cells called cardiac fibroblasts become active and make scar tissue that can stiffen the heart. Researchers will track how Runx1 levels change in these cells and test how changing Runx1 affects their growth and maturation into myofibroblasts and matrifibrocytes. They will use lab-grown cells, genetic manipulation, sequencing methods (such as ATAC-seq), and animal models to identify Runx1 target genes like Ccn2. The team aims to map the mechanisms that control scar formation and point to targets for future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to reduce harmful scarring and improve heart function after myocardial infarction.
How similar studies have gone: Early laboratory studies, including the team's own cell experiments, suggest Runx1 affects fibroblast behavior, but moving this finding into human therapies has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ Agricultural Center
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fu, Xing — Louisiana State Univ Agricultural Center
- Study coordinator: Fu, Xing
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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.