Targeted control of mitochondrial power to help the heart
Official title: Targeted control of mitochondrial biogenesis as a therapy for heart failure
Funded at Rice University · NIH-11444083 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new approach aims to safely boost the heart’s energy factories in people with heart failure after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rice University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $638,014 |
| NIH project number | 1R61HL183015-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11444083 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with ischemic heart disease or heart failure who could participate in future translational studies or trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-ischemic heart conditions or those unable to participate in early-stage translational work may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores turning up the heart’s own energy production using a precise, tunable gene-activation tool rather than overproducing a single protein. Researchers will use CRISPR-based activation to increase endogenous PPARGC1A activity in heart cells, with careful tuning to avoid tissue remodeling. The work is designed to be studied first in lab models and then in ways that could lead to future human studies, focusing on restoring energy and improving heart function after ischemic injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve heart energy supply and function for patients with heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests gene-activation approaches can modulate mitochondrial function, but this specific tunable CRISPRa strategy is still in early stages.
Where this research is happening
-
Rice University
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hilton, Isaac — Rice University
- Study coordinator: Hilton, Isaac
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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.