Injectable heart-supporting gel to help healing after a heart attack
Official title: Dynamic Biological Hydrogels to Modulate Cardiac Remodeling Following Myocardial Infarction
Funded at Tufts University Medford · NIH-11264642 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new injectable gel made from heart-derived proteins and engineered materials aims to help adults' hearts heal better after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Medford NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $385,092 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171396-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264642 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have had a recent heart attack or who are living with post-infarction heart damage and related heart failure could be candidates for future trials based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart disease or patients with end-stage disease already scheduled for transplant may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
The team will make a biological hydrogel that combines cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) with engineered components whose stiffness can be tuned. They plan to use ECM from different developmental ages and mix it with stiffer biomaterials to both present helpful protein signals and mechanically support the injured heart. These formulations will be tested in lab and preclinical models to see which combinations reduce scarring and improve heart structure and function after myocardial infarction. The work is intended to guide future clinical treatments that could be given after a heart attack.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce harmful heart remodeling and improve pumping function after a heart attack.
How similar studies have gone: Porcine cardiac ECM injections have shown promise in animal models and have moved into early Phase I testing, but combining developmental-age ECM with controlled stiffness is a newer, less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Medford
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Black Iii, Lauren D. — Tufts University Medford
- Study coordinator: Black Iii, Lauren D.
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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.