Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a $786,402 Project Grant effective May 1, 2026, through January 31, 2030, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). This award supports basic research investigating the role of phospholamban (PLN) in regulating perinuclear calcium (Ca2+) signaling within cardiomyocytes and its relationship to pathological cardiac remodeling in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The research will employ live cell imaging, biochemical assays, and cytochemical assays in primary rat ventricular myocytes and patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to elucidate mechanisms of compartmentalized Ca2+ signaling controlled by scaffold proteins at the myocyte outer nuclear membrane.

The primary deliverables include scientific findings characterizing PLN's non-canonical role in perinuclear Ca2+ homeostasis and gene transcription, identification of therapeutic targets within this compartment, and advancement of understanding regarding how pathogenic mutations in PLN (such as p.R14del) dysregulate calcineurin signaling. The research outcomes are intended to inform development of targeted therapeutic strategies for heart failure treatment, with potential applications to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy management. Research will be performed at Stanford University's Palo Alto, California facility.