Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Miami's School of Medicine received a $381,511 Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), effective June 5, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2031. The award funds research investigating Gasdermin D (GSDMD) as a therapeutic target for preventing vascular and cardiac dysfunction induced by neonatal hyperoxia in preterm infants.

The research project delivers scientific investigation into the mechanisms by which elevated oxygen exposure in premature infants contributes to long-term cardiovascular morbidities such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure. The principal research products include mechanistic studies examining how GSDMD inhibition attenuates neonatal hyperoxia-induced inflammation, vascular remodeling, and functional impairment through two specific research aims. The project addresses a critical public health gap by developing a potential therapeutic approach to prevent vascular consequences of preterm birth, a condition for which no preventive therapies currently exist. Research will be conducted at the University of Miami's facilities in Miami, Florida, and is anticipated to generate novel findings regarding inflammatory cell death pathways in cardiovascular disease development.