CureHeart: Curing inherited heart muscle conditions

Around 1 in 250 people worldwide have an inherited heart muscle condition. That’s 30 million people. Each with their own family, loved ones, and stories to tell.

These conditions can lead to heart failure and are a major cause of sudden cardiac death. They can be passed down through generations, devastating whole families.

BHF's biggest ever grant, totalling £30 million, was awarded to CureHeart, a team of world experts led by Professor Hugh Watkins at the University of Oxford. This project, fuelled by BHF’s biggest ever grant, seeks to develop cures for inherited heart muscle diseases.

Correcting spelling mistakes in genes

In the 1990s, with BHF support, Professor Watkins was among the first to identify gene variants responsible for the inherited heart muscle condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This paved the way for genetic testing to identify those at risk and help doctors treat them. Now, this international team of world-leading scientists and clinicians is taking the next leap.

"A future where people can be cured of inherited heart muscle disease is within reach."

Professor Hugh Watkins

These brilliant minds are working across the globe, using cutting-edge gene editing tools to correct the DNA spelling mistakes that can cause these diseases. If successful, this approach could cure inherited heart muscle conditions altogether.

A future where people can be cured of inherited heart muscle disease is within reach – and BHF-funded research is making it possible.

This pioneering new approach could save countless lives and help us keep those we love most healthier, for longer.