Mapping the tiny connection hubs between heart muscle cells
Molecular Atlas of the Cardiac Intercalated Disc
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11252880
Making a detailed map of the junctions between adult heart cells to help people with inherited or other dangerous heart rhythm problems.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252880 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will map the molecular composition of the intercalated disc, the tiny structures where heart muscle cells meet and pass electrical signals. They will combine techniques that identify nearby proteins, visualize structures, measure gene activity, and test how specific molecules affect cell function. The team will compare healthy hearts with hearts lacking plakophilin-2 (PKP2), a protein linked to inherited lethal arrhythmias. The work is aimed at revealing how changes in these junctions lead to abnormal heart rhythms and calcium handling.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with inherited PKP2 mutations or people with unexplained ventricular arrhythmias would be most relevant for future trials, tissue donation, or related clinical follow-up.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to heart rhythm (or those needing immediate emergency care for a heart attack) are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic-mapping project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new targets for preventing or treating life‑threatening heart rhythm disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked PKP2 mutations to arrhythmias and identified some proteins at the intercalated disc, but a comprehensive molecular atlas of this structure is novel.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DELMAR, MARIO — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: DELMAR, MARIO
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.
Conditions: Cancer Treatment