Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded The Johns Hopkins University a Project Grant of $175,874 under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to conduct a prospective, three-center cohort study investigating clinical risk factors and biomarkers associated with recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children with cardiac disease. The research objectives include identifying patient-specific clinical characteristics and biological factors that predict VTE recurrence risk, with particular emphasis on changes in plasma fibrinolytic function and proinflammatory cytokine levels during acute disease phases. The award period extends from July 6, 2026 through February 28, 2031, with the research conducted at Johns Hopkins' Baltimore, Maryland facility.

This project directly addresses a critical gap in evidence-based treatment protocols for pediatric cardiac patients at elevated VTE risk. The study's findings are intended to support the development of risk-stratified antithrombotic treatment trials that reduce recurrent VTE events and associated long-term sequelae such as chronic venous insufficiency. As a Project Grant mechanism under NHLBI's broader cardiovascular research portfolio, this award represents hypothesis-driven clinical investigation designed to improve patient outcomes through better understanding of VTE recurrence mechanisms in a vulnerable pediatric population.