Stopping and reversing heart scarring in HFpEF
Official title: Preventing and Reversing Interstitial Fibrosis in HFpEF
Funded at VA Western New York Healthcare System · NIH-11131205 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests ways to prevent and reverse the scarring that stiffens the heart in people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Western New York Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Buffalo, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2016 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX002659-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131205 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with HFpEF (preserved ejection fraction), especially older patients with common comorbidities like obesity, diabetes, or controlled hypertension, would be the eventual candidates for therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with heart failure due to reduced ejection fraction or those whose symptoms are caused by non-cardiac conditions are unlikely to benefit from findings targeted to HFpEF.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating animal models that more closely match typical HFpEF patients—older adults often with obesity, diabetes, or controlled high blood pressure—in order to study why the heart becomes stiff. They will study inflammation, coronary microvascular function, and the cellular pathways that drive interstitial fibrosis. The team will use these models to test interventions that might prevent or reverse the scarring process and restore healthier heart function. Findings are intended to point to treatments that could later be tested in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify therapies that reduce heart scarring and improve symptoms and outcomes for people with HFpEF.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal models have relied on severe, uncontrolled hypertension and have had limited success translating to typical HFpEF patients, so this work follows a relatively novel, more patient-representative approach.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Western New York Healthcare System
Buffalo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Canty, John M — VA Western New York Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Canty, John M
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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.