Effects of Dabrafenib on cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure
Heart failure caused by high blood pressure often results from structural changes in the heart, such as the build-up of scar tissue. This process is called fibrosis and can reduce the capacity of the heart to pump blood efficiently around the body and lead to heart failure. Professor Clerk’s team have previously shown that a cancer drug called dabrafenib might be useful for reducing fibrosis. They will measure the effect of dabrafenib on fibrosis in animal models of heart failure by using ultrasound over time. They will also analyse the heart tissues to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the changes they observe. If they show that dabrafenib reduces fibrosis, it could lead to clinical trials to test is efficacy as a heart failure treatment. It will also confirm that the target of dabrafenib, called Raf kinases, are important molecules for treating heart failure, which could pave the way for other new treatments.
Project details
| Grant amount | £130,048 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 06 January 2020 |
| Duration | 1 year, 6 months |
| Reference | PG/19/32/34383 |
| Status | In Progress |
