Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded $1,567,702 to the University of California, Los Angeles, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) on July 15, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of June 30, 2028. This project grant funds research to define the mechanisms underlying cardioneural ablation (CNA)-associated ventricular arrhythmogenesis and to enable safer clinical application of CNA—an emerging interventional therapy targeting excessive vagal tone in patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS) and vagally-mediated bradyarrhythmias. The research addresses critical safety concerns by investigating how CNA disrupts the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS), potentially leading to autonomic dysregulation and increased susceptibility to life-threatening arrhythmias.

The project deliverables include mechanistic research utilizing a chronic large-animal model of clinical CNA to examine how extensive ablation of epicardial ganglionated plexi (GPS) disrupts coordinated ICNS activity and produces excessive, spatially heterogeneous release of adrenergic neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and neuropeptides. This basic and translational research is designed to generate fundamental knowledge that will support the development of safer CNA protocols and more effective therapeutic strategies for patients with VVS, a debilitating condition with limited existing treatment options.