Understanding how macrophages help heal heart tissue after a heart attack
Official title: Macrophages in Myocardial Infarction
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11049440 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain immune cells called macrophages help heal the heart after a heart attack, and it’s exploring how a special protein affects their actions, which could lead to new ways to improve recovery for heart attack patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | December 16, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $784,206 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL173191-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11049440 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced a myocardial infarction and are 21 years or older.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had a heart attack or those with other unrelated health conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of macrophages, a type of immune cell, in the healing process following a heart attack (myocardial infarction). It focuses on how these cells change in response to their environment and how a specific protein, Colony-Stimulating Factor (CSF)-1, influences their behavior. By using advanced techniques like single-cell transcriptomics and targeted genetic approaches, the study aims to uncover the mechanisms by which macrophages contribute to heart repair. The findings could lead to new therapeutic strategies to enhance recovery after heart attacks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that improve heart healing and reduce complications after a heart attack.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding macrophage roles in heart repair, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Frangogiannis, Nikolaos G — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Frangogiannis, Nikolaos G
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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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.
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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.
-
Real-time multi-lead ECG from wearables to help detect heart attacks early
A new AI-based approach uses everyday wearable sensors to turn simple PPG signals into multi-lead ECG data to monitor for heart attacks in real time, even outside the clinic.
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.