Preventing early hardening and breakdown of heart implants in children
Mechanisms of accelerated calcification and structural degeneration of implantable biomaterials in pediatric cardiac surgery
This project looks at why patches, conduits, and bioprosthetic valves used in children's heart surgery harden and fail sooner than in adults and tests ways to make them last longer for pediatric patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292864 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a parent or patient, you'd want heart repairs that last and avoid repeat surgeries. Researchers are studying how calcium buildup and chemical changes (like glyco-oxidation) make implanted materials stiffer and weaker in children. They use lab tests, a pediatric bioregistry of removed devices, and juvenile animal models to recreate the problem and try treatments or material changes that might slow or stop damage. The team will test potential fixes in the lab and in animals before moving toward clinical use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and infants who need reconstructive heart surgery using patches, valved conduits, or bioprosthetic valves would be the primary population relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Adults with standard adult heart devices or patients who do not receive biomaterial implants are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce the number of repeat heart operations for children by extending how long implants function safely.
How similar studies have performed: Prior lab and clinical analyses, including a pediatric bioregistry, have identified calcification and glyco-oxidation as drivers of failure, but human-focused mitigation approaches remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferrari, Giovanni — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ferrari, Giovanni
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.