Targeting heart rhythm: how hERG channels regulate electrical activity
Official title: Allosteric Regulation of KCNH Channels
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11605224 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how the hERG potassium channel controls heart rhythm and how specially designed antibodies could help fix abnormal heartbeats.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $542,124 |
| NIH project number | 1R56NS146284-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11605224 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include patients with or at risk for long QT syndrome or other arrhythmias related to hERG channel dysfunction; future trials could involve those impacted by rhythm disorders.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart rhythm disorders or those not related to hERG channel dysfunction may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will combine structural biology, electrophysiology, and computer modeling to understand how the hERG1 channel’s gating ring controls when the channel opens or closes. They have developed single-chain antibody fragments that bind to specific channel shapes, serving as probes and potential therapies to stabilize healthy electrical activity. By linking molecular structure to heart cell signaling, the project aims to reveal new ways to treat rhythm disorders like long QT syndrome. The work could lay the groundwork for therapies that correct abnormal cardiac excitability at its source.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new molecular tools or therapies that restore normal heart rhythm in people at risk for dangerous arrhythmias.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using antibodies to influence ion channels have shown potential in altering channel behavior and cardiac excitability.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robertson, Gail a — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Robertson, Gail a
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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.