Tiny heart proteins that control the heart's calcium pump
Membrane Micropeptides and Calcium Pump Allostery
This project looks at how small membrane proteins change the heart's calcium pump to help people with heart muscle problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loyola University Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Maywood, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123717 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have heart muscle problems, this work focuses on tiny proteins that sit next to the heart's calcium pump (SERCA) and alter how it works. Scientists will use lab tools like fluorescence measurements and NMR spectroscopy to map how each micropeptide binds and changes SERCA's shape and motion. They will test different micropeptides and genetic variants to see which changes help the heart adapt to stress and which changes can lead to heart failure. Most experiments are lab-based but may use patient-derived samples or genetic information to connect the findings to real cases of heart disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with heart failure, inherited cardiomyopathies, or known genetic variants that affect calcium handling in the heart would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without heart muscle disease or calcium-handling problems are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could explain how certain genetic changes cause heart failure and point to new targets for drugs that improve heart contraction and relaxation.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier studies have shown that small micropeptides can regulate SERCA and change heart function, but the detailed structural mechanisms and links to specific pathogenic variants remain incompletely understood.
Where this research is happening
Maywood, United States
- Loyola University Chicago — Maywood, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robia, Seth L — Loyola University Chicago
- Study coordinator: Robia, Seth L
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 below.