Virtual heart models to understand arrhythmias from fat in the heart
Heart Digital Twin Analysis of Arrhythmias due to Infiltrating Adiposity
This project uses personalized computer 'digital twin' hearts with imaging, electrical mapping, lab heart experiments, and AI to help guide ablation for people with dangerous ventricular arrhythmias after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319878 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will build patient-specific computer replicas of hearts using advanced imaging and electroanatomical mapping to find where abnormal rhythms begin. They will combine those digital twins with experiments on donated human hearts and artificial intelligence to separate the effects of infiltrating fat from scar tissue. The team will test whether the models can predict arrhythmia sources and suggest better ablation targets. If accurate, the approach could shorten procedures and reduce the chance of arrhythmia coming back.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ischemic cardiomyopathy and a prior myocardial infarction who have ventricular arrhythmias or are being considered for ablation are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without prior heart attacks, those with non-ischemic arrhythmia causes, or patients who cannot undergo imaging or ablation are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable more precise ablation and fewer recurrent, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias after myocardial infarction.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-specific heart modeling and image-guided mapping have shown promise in locating arrhythmia sources, but combining digital twins with fat-versus-scar analysis and AI-guided ablation is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trayanova, Natalia a. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Trayanova, Natalia a.
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 below.