Reawakening the adult heart's ability to regrow after injury
Metabolic Reprogramming of the Adult Heart to a Regenerative State
This project tries to change heart cell metabolism to help adults regrow heart muscle after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11409640 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring whether shifting heart cells' metabolism can make the adult heart return to a younger, regenerative state. In mice they block a mitochondrial enzyme called succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) using a compound called malonate after a heart attack to spur heart muscle cell division and new blood vessel growth. The team will use laboratory and animal experiments to map how this metabolic change prompts repair and to test whether restoring heart structure improves function. This work aims to lay the groundwork for future treatments that could be tested in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had a myocardial infarction or have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction would be the primary future candidates for this approach.
Not a fit: People with non-ischemic cardiomyopathies, pediatric patients, or those ineligible for metabolic therapies may not benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could help restore lost heart muscle and improve recovery and heart function after heart attacks.
How similar studies have performed: Related metabolic reprogramming approaches have shown promising heart repair in animal models, but they remain largely untested in human patients.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahmoud, Ahmed I — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Mahmoud, Ahmed I
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.