Using engineered blood vessels to treat heart defects in children

Readily Available Biological Conduits to Treat Single Ventricle Defects

NIH-funded research Yale University · NIH-10991036

This study is working on a new way to help kids with single ventricle heart defects by creating special blood vessels that can grow with them, using safe materials from human umbilical cords, to make their surgeries more successful.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionYale University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New Haven, United States)
Project IDNIH-10991036 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing new biological conduits to treat single ventricle congenital heart defects in children. The approach involves creating tissue-engineered vascular conduits (TEVCs) that can grow and remodel as the child develops, using decellularized human umbilical arteries coated with endothelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. By addressing issues of graft stenosis and immunocompatibility, this research aims to improve surgical outcomes for affected children. The study utilizes a validated animal model to test the effectiveness of these conduits before potential clinical application.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are children under 11 years old diagnosed with single ventricle congenital heart defects.

Not a fit: Patients with other types of congenital heart defects or those over the age of 11 may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the surgical treatment and long-term outcomes for children with single ventricle heart defects.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in using tissue-engineered vascular conduits, but this specific approach with hypoimmunogenic cells is novel.

Where this research is happening

New Haven, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.