PPAR-alpha and sex differences in chemotherapy-related heart injury
Official title: PPARalpha activation underlies sex dimorphism in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11363534 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why doxorubicin causes different heart side effects in men and women, and tests heart-protective ideas to help patients who need this chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $701,449 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL178456-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363534 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults undergoing doxorubicin-based chemotherapy who are adult females or males may benefit from future protective strategies explored in this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
The specific protective approaches studied may not be effective for all patients or cancer types.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one needs doxorubicin, this research explores why the drug harms the heart differently in women and men and how a protein called PPARα and estrogen signaling influence that. The team will study fatty acid metabolism in heart cells and use a human cardio-oncology organotypic platform to test potential protective therapies. They plan to run experiments in mice and in human-derived heart tissue models to understand sex-specific pathways and identify strategies to prevent heart damage. The ultimate goal is to guide safer treatments for cancer patients while preserving the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to personalized strategies that reduce heart injury from doxorubicin, especially for women, while keeping cancer treatment effective.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows sex-specific responses in other cardiovascular conditions, supporting the idea that tailored approaches can work; this study extends that concept to chemotherapy-related heart injury.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: George, Sharon a — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: George, Sharon a
Related research
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Dual targeting of heart cell receptors to prevent chemotherapy heart damage
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Genetic clues for doxorubicin heart risk using patient-derived heart cells
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Preventing heart damage from chemotherapy in older lymphoma patients
This study is looking to help older adults with lymphoma by finding ways to prevent heart damage from chemotherapy, figuring out who might be at risk, and understanding what patients and doctors prefer when it comes to treatment options.
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Preventing chemo-related heart damage in African American children
This project uses patients' own lab-grown heart cells to find genetic risks and ways to stop heart damage from the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin in African American children treated for cancer.
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.