Investigating the therapeutic potential of Runx1 for myocardial infarction
Research-led advances over the last decade mean that, today, in the UK at least seven out of 10 people survive a heart attack. However, the damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack can leave people at greater risk of heart failure. This is a debilitating condition in which the heart cannot pump blood around the body as well as it should. Dr Christopher Loughrey and his team have discovered that, shortly after a heart attack, the levels of a molecule called Runx1 increases in cells next to the damaged area. They’ve shown, in mice, that reducing the levels of Runx1 in these heart cells can preserve the heart’s powerful pumping action following a heart attack. In this project, they will further study the role of Runx1 in heart cells after heart attack. They will also use drugs to lower Runx1 activity in the heart of mice after a heart attack and see whether it protects the ability of the heart to pump the heart pumping capacity. They hope that this project will pave the way for medicines that can reduce the damage caused by heart attack and prevent people from developing heart failure.
Project details
| Grant amount | £302,180 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 December 2018 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/18/9/33548 |
| Status | In Progress |
