Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded Johns Hopkins University a Project Grant of $638,176 effective May 1, 2026, through February 28, 2029, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). This award supports basic research investigating thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a matricellular protein implicated in cardiac fibrosis associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The research will elucidate the mechanisms by which TSP-1 modulates transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling in cardiac fibroblasts, with particular attention to sex-specific differences in disease pathogenesis, and will evaluate the therapeutic potential of TSP-1 inhibition in rodent models of HFpEF.

The research deliverables will advance understanding of the structural cardiac remodeling processes underlying HFpEF progression and generate evidence supporting potential therapeutic interventions targeting the TSP-1/TGF-β pathway as an alternative to direct TGF-β inhibition. Research will be conducted at Johns Hopkins University's facilities in Maryland and will include mechanistic investigations of TSP-1 activation, characterization of sex hormone-dependent regulation of fibrotic pathways, assessment of tissue mechanics and ventricular function, and preclinical efficacy studies informing future clinical translation for this predominant form of heart failure that disproportionately affects postmenopausal women.