Understanding how the brain and immune system interact after a heart attack
Official title: Brain-immune crosstalk in myocardial infarction
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-10832050 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the brain and immune system work together after a heart attack to help improve recovery and long-term health, and it’s for people who have had a heart attack to see how stress and inflammation might affect their healing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $686,432 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168090-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10832050 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who have recently experienced a myocardial infarction and are undergoing recovery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced a myocardial infarction or those with chronic heart conditions unrelated to acute events may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the communication between the brain and the immune system following a heart attack, known as myocardial infarction (MI). It aims to understand how different brain regions influence the immune response and healing process after MI, which can significantly affect recovery and long-term health. By examining the role of stress and inflammation, the study seeks to identify potential therapeutic targets that could improve outcomes for heart attack survivors. Patients may be monitored for changes in immune function and brain activity during recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that enhance recovery and quality of life for heart attack survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the brain-immune connection in other conditions, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights for myocardial infarction as well.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poller, Wolfram Christian — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Poller, Wolfram Christian
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.
-
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.
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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.
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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.