Improving heart tissue to prevent dangerous heart rhythms
Official title: Biological substrate modification to suppress ventricular arrhythmias in a porcine model of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-10906259 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to help people with chronic heart issues by using tiny particles from heart cells to improve the heart's electrical signals and reduce scar tissue, making it safer and more effective for patients with dangerous heart rhythms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $724,148 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL164896-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10906259 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy who are at risk for ventricular arrhythmias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy or those who do not have ventricular arrhythmias may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new approach to prevent dangerous heart rhythms in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. Instead of destroying heart tissue that conducts electrical signals slowly, the study aims to enhance the viability of this tissue using exosomes derived from heart progenitor cells. These exosomes are injected into specific areas of the heart identified as problematic, with the goal of reducing scar tissue and improving heart function. The research will also explore different delivery methods to make the treatment more applicable in clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a novel treatment that significantly reduces the risk of life-threatening heart rhythms in cardiomyopathy patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from similar approaches have shown promise in reducing arrhythmias, indicating potential for success in this novel method.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dawkins, James F. — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Dawkins, James F.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Biological treatment to reduce ventricular arrhythmias in a pig model of heart disease
Aims to test if delivering heart-cell–derived exosomes into damaged heart tissue can reduce scar and prevent dangerous ventricular rhythms in a porcine model of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy.
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Correcting cardiac microdomains to reverse non-ischemic heart failure
A gene therapy approach targeting calcium-handling microdomains in the heart is being tested to restore heart function in a large animal model of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
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Better defining non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with functional mitral regurgitation to predict treatment outcomes
The team will use advanced heart MRI to better classify people with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and functional mitral regurgitation so doctors can predict which treatments may work best.
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Repairing damaged heart tissue to stop dangerous ventricular rhythms after ischemic heart damage
The team is testing whether tiny particles from heart-derived cells can repair scarred heart tissue and stop life-threatening ventricular rhythms in people with ischemic cardiomyopathy.
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Improving heart function by correcting calcium handling in heart cells
This study is testing a new gene therapy that aims to fix how heart cells manage calcium in people with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, using minipigs to see if improving a specific protein can help the heart work better and stay healthier.
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Improving treatment predictions for heart patients with mitral valve issues
This study is looking at how to better understand and treat heart problems in people with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and leaky heart valves, using advanced imaging techniques to help doctors choose the best treatments for each patient.
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.