The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) was awarded a $564,445 Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The grant, titled "Targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs) for Heart and Lung Disease", aims to advance understanding of the role of HIFs in regulating inflammatory responses and tissue injury during hypoxic conditions associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The grant supports three complementary research projects:
- Exploring the regulation of HIFs by prolyl hydroxylase domain enzymes (PHDs) and their impact on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Investigating the functional roles of HIF-driven microRNAs in modulating alveolar inflammation during ARDS.
- Identifying a novel function of HIFs in mediating circadian variations of myocardial injury.
The 7-year grant period will allow UTHealth to develop critical clinical and basic science infrastructure to advance these interconnected research themes, which collectively aim to identify new therapeutic targets controlled by HIFs for heart and lung diseases.
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