Understanding Genetic Risks for Heart Attacks in People with Heart Disease
Official title: Genetic Predisposition to Myocardial Infarction in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11248176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to discover the genetic factors that make some people with heart disease more likely to have a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $709,076 |
| NIH project number | 7R01HL168493-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with coronary artery disease, especially those who have or have not experienced a heart attack, who are willing to contribute genetic data.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without coronary artery disease or those not interested in genetic research may not directly benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
Many people have coronary artery disease (CAD), but only some experience a heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI). This suggests there are specific genetic reasons why some individuals are more prone to heart attacks. Researchers are looking for unique genes that are strongly linked to heart attacks, separate from the genes that cause CAD itself. They will compare the genetic information of people with CAD who have had a heart attack to those with CAD who have not, building on previous large-scale genetic collaborations. This work seeks to pinpoint these distinct genetic markers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to identify individuals at high risk for heart attacks, allowing for more targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large-scale genetic collaborations have identified several genetic locations associated with heart attacks, providing a foundation for this work.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allayee, Hooman — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Allayee, Hooman
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Genetic risk factors for heart attack in people with coronary artery disease
Researchers are studying how genes influence the risk of having a heart attack among people who already have coronary artery disease, with the goal of improving risk prediction and prevention.
-
Anti-inflammatory signaling of a key protein in heart attack recovery
A study in people who have had a heart attack is exploring how a macrophage protein called Tristetraprolin may reduce inflammation and help protect heart tissue.
-
Targeting RIPK3 to reduce heart damage after a heart attack
This grant studies a specific cell-death pathway (RIPK3) to protect the heart after a heart attack, with the goal of reducing damage and improving recovery.
-
mRNA lipid nanoparticles to help heart attack patients grow healthier blood vessels
A heart-attack study tests a new treatment that uses messenger RNA delivery with tiny fat bubbles to promote normal blood vessel growth in damaged heart tissue.
-
Targeted nanotherapy to calm inflammation, grow new blood vessels, and prevent scarring after a heart attack
A new treatment approach uses engineered secretions from immune cells delivered early after a heart attack to reduce inflammation, promote blood vessel growth, and limit scarring to protect heart function.
-
Why heart attacks and strokes affect people differently across places and races
This project follows adults across the U.S. to see how lifelong social and neighborhood factors shape heart attacks, heart failure, and recovery, with attention to Black adults and regions with high disease rates.
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.