Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a $531,794 Project Grant to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Office of Research Administration on June 15, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). This research award, with a completion date of March 31, 2030, funds an investigation into the role of microRNA-98 (mir98) in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury during pregnancy. The research addresses a critical public health need, as cardiovascular disease accounts for 26.5% of U.S. pregnancy-related deaths, with acute myocardial infarction incidence during late pregnancy increasing approximately 3.7-fold between 2000 and 2020.

The funded research will deliver mechanistic investigations into how mir98 expression contributes to increased cardiac vulnerability during pregnancy. Specifically, the project will conduct in vitro and in vivo studies to elucidate mir98's role in cardiomyocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses using cellular and animal models of ischemia-reperfusion injury. The research will identify and validate mir98 targets (STAT3 and PGC1A) and evaluate the therapeutic potential of mir98 inhibition as a protective intervention for pregnant women experiencing myocardial infarction. Outcomes will include peer-reviewed publications, characterization of biological pathways underlying pregnancy-specific cardiac vulnerability, and potential foundation for future therapeutic development.