Tiny separations at heart cell connections that may cause arrhythmias
Official title: Arrhythmia Mechanisms Modulated by Intercalated Disc Extracellular Nanodomains
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11293399 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether tiny separations between heart cells make dangerous heart rhythms more likely in people with Brugada syndrome or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $617,181 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL159097-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293399 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with Brugada syndrome or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, especially those with right‑ventricle involvement or known mutations affecting intercalated disc proteins, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose arrhythmias are caused mainly by other conditions (such as coronary artery disease or structural heart problems unrelated to intercalated disc proteins) are less likely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
The team is examining how small gaps at the connections between heart muscle cells (the intercalated disc) change electrical signals in the heart. They will use lab tissue and animal models to create swelling in the heart and test whether that swelling reveals hidden problems in sodium channels and junction proteins linked to Brugada syndrome and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. The researchers will compare different experimental conditions that can mask or unmask conduction problems, with special attention to the right ventricle where these diseases often appear. Their work aims to see if managing these tiny cell separations or tissue swelling could prevent dangerous arrhythmias.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce life‑threatening arrhythmias by targeting cell‑to‑cell connections or controlling heart tissue swelling.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have shown that electrolyte environment and gap‑junction proteins like connexin43 can hide or reveal conduction defects, but applying these findings to Brugada syndrome and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in intact tissue is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poelzing, Steven — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Poelzing, Steven
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how heart nerves affect dangerous heart rhythms after a heart attack
This NIH grant studies how changes in the heart’s nerve signaling after a heart attack lead to dangerous rhythm problems, with the goal of finding ways to prevent them.
-
Dexterous needle ablation for ventricular arrhythmia guided by MRI
A new MRI-guided, robot-assisted catheter delivers deeper heart tissue ablation to treat ventricular tachycardia.
-
Sex-specific heart cell signaling and rhythm problems linked to a heart failure drug target
A study from UCLA aims to understand how a key heart signaling pathway controls heart beating and rhythm differently in men and women with heart failure.
-
Additive-made wearable magnetic sensors for heart monitoring with AI
A wearable system using affordable, 3D-printed sensors and machine learning to help detect heart rhythm problems in people.
-
Understanding fat deposits after heart attack and their link to dangerous heart rhythms
A Penn Medicine team is studying how fat buildup in the heart after a heart attack may influence dangerous heart rhythms and recovery.
-
Developing 3D Real-Time CMR for Arrhythmia Imaging
Aims to make real-time 3D heart MRI usable for people with irregular heartbeats to improve how doctors see arrhythmias.
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.