Using heart tissue and blood to predict dangerous events in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Official title: Transcriptomics, pathobiology, and cardiac event in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11089337 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at RNA patterns in heart tissue and blood from people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to find signals that predict dangerous events like arrhythmias, heart failure, or sudden death.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $710,456 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168382-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11089337 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who can provide blood samples and, if undergoing clinical heart surgery, may be able to donate myocardial tissue and participate in follow-up visits.
✕Less likely to help
People without HCM, those unable or unwilling to provide samples or attend follow-up, or those seeking an immediate treatment benefit are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would be part of a large Harvard–Columbia biorepository of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where researchers already collected blood from over 600 patients and heart muscle from about 120. The team will measure RNA signals (transcriptomics) in both the heart tissue and plasma and compare those patterns to who develops major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). They will link molecular findings to clinical data gathered by regular interviews, medical record reviews, and yearly in-person exams. The goal is to find biological pathways and blood markers that relate to disease status and future dangerous heart events.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors identify which HCM patients are most likely to have serious heart events and guide more personalized preventive care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genetic and biomarker studies have improved HCM risk understanding, but using paired heart-tissue and blood transcriptomics to predict events is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shimada, Yuichi — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Shimada, Yuichi
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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.