Mapping how the heart's supporting scaffold changes with age and sex
Proteomics based mapping of cardiac extracellular matrix to define sex and age-dependent changes.
This project maps differences in the heart's supporting proteins in men and women of different ages to help explain why heart repair and scarring vary.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309099 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, scientists are creating detailed protein maps of the heart's extracellular matrix — the scaffold that holds heart cells in place — to see how it differs by age and sex. They use animal hearts, remove sex hormones in some animals, and apply high-resolution proteomics to identify which proteins change. Lab cell experiments and 3D culture tests will show how those protein differences change cell behavior and the heart's ability to repair after injury. The goal is to link specific protein patterns to how hearts remodel and scar over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This work is most relevant to older adults and people with heart muscle disease or cardiac fibrosis, and to men and women whose hormone status may affect heart repair.
Not a fit: People without heart disease or those with conditions unrelated to cardiac structure are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to age- and sex-specific ways to reduce harmful heart scarring and improve recovery after cardiac injury.
How similar studies have performed: Proteomics-based mapping of ECM has been used successfully before and preliminary data show sex differences, but combining age, hormone manipulation, and functional follow-up is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Methodist Hospital Research Institute — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cieslik, Katarzyna a. — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Cieslik, Katarzyna a.
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.