Targeted mRNA delivery to improve heart transplants from donation after circulatory death
Official title: Novel targeted modified mRNA delivery in Donation After Circulatory Death Heart Transplantation
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11368433 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests a new mRNA delivery approach to help donor hearts from donors after circulatory death survive and function better after transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,574,578 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL181085-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11368433 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with end-stage heart disease who may receive a heart transplant from DCD donors could potentially benefit in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients receiving traditional, non-modified therapies without access to this new approach may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
Researchers at Ohio State University are exploring how to use a modified mRNA delivery method to protect donor hearts during transplantation. The work focuses on reducing injury from ischemia-reperfusion and improving cell membrane repair in heart tissue using rhMG53, a protein that helps repair damaged cells. The study plans to test therapies during donation after circulatory death (DCD) scenarios and during ex vivo heart perfusion to expand the donor pool and improve transplant outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make more donor hearts usable and reduce complications after transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests membrane repair proteins like rhMG53 can protect heart cells, but applying this in DCD heart transplantation is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitson, Bryan a — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Whitson, Bryan a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeted immune treatments to protect donated hearts
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IL-33 helps protect heart transplant patients from long-term rejection
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This work tries transplanting only the donor heart part that contains a valve so children can get a valve that grows with them.
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Predicting Heart Transplant Rejection Risk Before Surgery
This research aims to find ways to predict which heart transplant patients might reject their new heart, helping doctors tailor their medication plans.
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How IL-33 may protect transplanted hearts
This work looks at whether a natural protein called IL-33 can reduce inflammation and scarring after a heart transplant for transplant recipients.
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.