Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a $249,000 Project Grant under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, effective February 16, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2029. This K99/R00 career development award supports research investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying tachycardia-induced cardiac dysfunction. Dr. Chengyi Tu will conduct integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling studies using engineered heart tissue (EHT) models and canine samples to identify signaling pathways critical to tachycardia-related heart disease pathology.

The grant funds two primary research aims: (1) metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling of EHTs exposed to tachypacing conditions, with validation using canine tachypacing-induced heart failure samples, and (2) systematic examination of how specific glycolysis intermediate metabolites affect cardiomyocyte function. Preliminary findings indicate that disruption of glycolysis homeostasis may underlie tachycardia-induced cardiac dysfunction, with accumulated glycolysis intermediates such as glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and 3-phosphoglycerate, while fatty acid metabolism promotion demonstrates potential for restoring cardiac contractility. The research leverages advanced induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC), tissue engineering, and multiomics technologies to address significant gaps in understanding hard-to-control tachycardia mechanisms and inform development of more effective heart failure treatments.