Project Grant Award Summary

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center received a $740.5K Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), awarded July 6, 2026, with completion targeted for March 31, 2030. The project focuses on advancing single-cell proteomics (SCP) technology to characterize protein heterogeneity in cardiomyocytes (CMs) affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) mutations associated with the myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) gene. The research team will deliver high-sensitivity mass spectrometry–based proteomic profiling capable of quantifying over 2,000 proteins from individual CMs, establishing distinct proteomic signatures for viable CMs isolated from healthy hearts and those harboring HCM mutations. The work includes replication of findings in induced pluripotent stem cell–derived human CMs (iPSC-CMs).

The project's primary scientific output is comprehensive characterization of sarcomeric and mitochondrial proteome heterogeneity correlated with specific MYH7 mutations and mutant allele dosage at the single-cell level. This foundational proteomic data is intended to illuminate distinct biochemical pathways underlying HCM and support the hypothesis that targeted therapeutics (such as mavacamten) should be tailored to individual mutation-specific mechanisms. The research directly supports the NHLBI's mission to foster mechanistic and translational cardiovascular research with potential implications for precision treatment of HCM patients.