Reprogramming the adult heart to heal itself
Official title: Metabolic Reprogramming of the Adult heart to a Regenerative State
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11026453 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to help adult hearts heal after a heart attack by blocking a specific enzyme, with the hope of encouraging heart cells to grow back and improve heart function, similar to how baby mice can naturally repair their hearts.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $418,664 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166256-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11026453 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults suffering from heart failure or those who have experienced a myocardial infarction.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-cardiac related health issues or those who do not have heart damage may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to stimulate the adult heart's ability to regenerate after damage, particularly following a heart attack. The team is exploring the role of a specific enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), in promoting heart tissue repair. By inhibiting this enzyme, they aim to encourage heart muscle cells to proliferate and restore normal heart function. The approach is based on findings from neonatal mice, which can regenerate their hearts after injury, and seeks to replicate this regenerative capacity in adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that significantly improve recovery and quality of life for patients with heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promise in similar approaches, particularly in animal models, but this specific method of SDH inhibition in adults is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahmoud, Ahmed I — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Mahmoud, Ahmed I
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
BRAVE Innovation Center for Viral Resistance in Chickens
A center at UW–Madison aims to create chickens genetically resistant to avian viruses like H5N1 by identifying host genes involved in virus replication using genome-wide CRISPR screening.
-
Center to Fight Vector-Borne Diseases in the Midwest
A Midwest program brings researchers, public health teams, and vector-control groups together to prevent diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes.
-
Globally useful predictor for cervical cancer treatment response
This project aims to develop a simple predictive signature to personalize treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer using easy tests and imaging.
-
Neutrophil development with stem cells to understand their behavior
Researchers are studying how neutrophils, a type of immune cell, develop from stem cells to better understand why they can help or harm in infections and inflammatory diseases.
-
WREN: Expanding Research Capacity in Rural Primary Care Clinics
A nationwide network in Wisconsin will strengthen rural primary care clinics to participate in real-world research and bring more clinical trials to communities.
-
Targeting early oral GVHD to improve mouth health after stem cell transplant
A study at UW–Madison will explore why some transplant patients develop painful oral GVHD and test ideas to prevent and lessen mouth-related problems.
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.