Mechanisms of arrhythmia generation from implanted stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in infarcted hearts (Dr Richard Jabbour)
Supervised by Professor Sian Harding, this Clinical Research Training Fellow is working out why stem cells can trigger dangerous abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) when injected into the heart to repair heart muscle in animal models of heart disease. As part of the exciting field of regenerative medicine, scientists are exploring whether heart muscle cells made from stem cells can be used to repair damaged heart muscle. But studies in animal models have revealed a significant drawback of this technique: dangerous heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, can develop after the stem cell derived heart cells are implanted into the recipient’s heart. These arrhythmias may develop because there is an electrical mismatch between the recipient’s heart and the implanted cells, and because the implanted heart cells are not fully mature. In this project the fellow will use engineered heart tissue grafts containing heart cells that are derived from stem cells in the lab. These cells have been exposed to mechanical forces to mature them. They will work out why abnormal heart rhythms develop when these cells are grafted to rabbit and human heart muscle and if there are ways to avoid this. This research will help us find safer ways of using stem cells to one day help repair damaged heart muscle in the clinic.
Project details
| Grant amount | £233,436 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | Clinical Research Training Fellowship |
| Start Date | 12 October 2016 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | FS/16/17/31663 |
| Status | Complete |
