Understanding mitral valve disease at the single-cell level
Official title: Unraveling molecular Complexity of Mitral Valve Disease using single cell and Spatial Multi-Omics analysis"
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11345855 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-centered study will map the cells and molecular patterns in mitral valve disease to understand why MVP develops and how it progresses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $462,133 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL173271-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345855 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse or healthy donors providing valve tissue for research.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without MVP or those not contributing tissue samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will create a detailed map of all cell types and spatial molecular patterns in mitral valve tissue from people with MVP and healthy donors using single-nucleus multi-omics and spatial technologies. Researchers will compare diseased and healthy tissues to find cellular states and molecular pathways linked to MVP onset and progression. The study aims to produce an atlas that could guide future diagnostics and targeted treatments for mitral valve disease. The work involves advanced sequencing and imaging on human valve samples to capture heterogeneity within the tissue context.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the atlas could inform more precise diagnoses and open doors to targeted therapies for mitral valve disease.
How similar studies have gone: Other single-cell and spatial analyses have advanced understanding of MVP-like diseases, but this project uniquely integrates multi-omics with spatial data in mitral valve tissue.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yang — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yang
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding Mitral Valve Disease at a Molecular Level
This research aims to understand the tiny molecular details of mitral valve prolapse, a condition where heart valve leaflets thicken, by looking closely at patient samples.
-
Understanding the molecular details of mitral valve disease
This study is looking at mitral valve prolapse (MVP) by exploring the tiny building blocks of the heart's mitral valve in both MVP patients and healthy people, to better understand what causes the condition and how it develops.
-
MRace Implant: A first look at fixing the mitral valve to reduce regurgitation
This single-arm study tests whether the MRace Implant and Delivery System can safely place a prosthesis to reduce severe mitral regurgitation in high-risk patients who may not be good candidates for open-heart surgery.
-
Mitral Valve Calcification Imaging with TrueVue 3D Light Rendering
This study tests how well three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography with TrueVue transillumination detects mitral valve calcifications compared with CT in adults.
-
Tracking progression and consequences of heart valve disease
This project will follow adults with moderate or worse valve disease to see if clinical tests and imaging can predict when their condition will get worse.
-
Surgical implantation of a polymer prosthetic mitral or aortic valve
This will test a surgically implanted polymer heart valve to see if it is safe and works well for adults who need mitral or aortic valve replacement.
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.