Understanding how glial cells affect heart development and function
Official title: Investigating the Critical Role of Glia In Peripheral Organ Development and Physiology
Funded at University of Notre Dame · NIH-11111298 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at special brain-like cells in the heart of zebrafish to see how they help the heart grow and beat properly, which could help us understand heart problems like arrhythmias in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Notre Dame NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Notre Dame, United States) |
| Project start | May 8, 2023 |
| Project end | May 7, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $78,892 |
| NIH project number | 5F32HL165966-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11111298 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with congenital heart defects or arrhythmias, particularly those interested in the underlying cellular mechanisms of their conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with heart conditions unrelated to glial cell function or those who do not have a developmental aspect to their heart disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of glial cells, specifically cardiac nexus glia, in the development and function of the heart using zebrafish as a model organism. The study aims to understand how these glial cells contribute to heart rhythm and structure during development. By examining the relationship between cardiac nexus glia and heart muscle cells, the research seeks to uncover mechanisms that could lead to arrhythmias and other heart conditions. The findings may provide insights into how glial cells support overall heart health and function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating heart rhythm disorders.
How similar studies have gone: While the role of glial cells in the nervous system is well-established, the specific investigation of cardiac nexus glia in heart development is a novel approach that has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Light, Sarah Elisabeth Williams — University of Notre Dame
- Study coordinator: Light, Sarah Elisabeth Williams
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Designer covalent blockers to stop IgE-driven allergic reactions
A new approach aims to block IgE antibodies that trigger allergic reactions in people with allergic asthma, potentially reducing severe symptoms without broad immune suppression.
-
A life-course view of how early adversity shapes health as people grow up
This NIH grant looks at how tough experiences in childhood and adolescence affect health and aging later in life, using data from people and animal studies to understand why some outcomes are worse and how social factors can help.
-
How a simple, evidence-based approach helps mothers and kids in Peru feel better
A study tests a flexible, lay-delivered mental-health program called CETA for mothers of young children in Lima to improve family well-being.
-
Open-Source tools to test conversational AI for dementia care
A multilingual AI benchmarking project aims to help improve chatbots and virtual assistants used in Alzheimer’s and related dementias, with open tools and datasets for researchers and clinicians.
-
Decoding how human CD8+ T cells recognize donor HLA in transplant rejection
This project studies why certain T cells attack transplanted kidneys, with the goal of understanding which cells drive acute rejection and how they recognize donor HLA.
-
Targeted antibody-guided nanoparticles to treat CMV infection
A new treatment approach combines CMV-targeting antibodies with drug-loaded nanoparticles to deliver antiviral medicine directly to infected cells, aiming to improve efficacy and reduce side effects for people with CMV infection.
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.