Understanding how zebrafish regenerate their heart tissue
Official title: Spatiotemporal regulation of polyploidy in zebrafish cardiac tissue regeneration
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-10857232 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how adult zebrafish can heal their hearts with very little scarring and aims to learn how special cells help in this process, which could eventually lead to better heart repair treatments for people with heart damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $695,387 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166518-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10857232 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would be individuals with heart conditions or injuries that could benefit from improved regenerative therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-cardiac conditions or those who do not have regenerative capabilities may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the unique ability of adult zebrafish to regenerate their heart with minimal scarring. It focuses on the role of polyploid cells, which have multiple copies of their genome, in the healing process after heart injury. By studying how these cells migrate and interact with other cells during regeneration, the research aims to uncover the mechanisms that could be applied to improve heart repair in humans. The findings could lead to new strategies for enhancing cardiac regeneration in patients with heart damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to breakthroughs in heart regeneration therapies for patients with heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding tissue regeneration mechanisms in various organisms, suggesting potential for success in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cao, Jingli — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Cao, Jingli
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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.