Grant: Operating Grant

Despite advances in medical and surgical therapies, the morbidity and mortality of patients suffering from an acute heart attack remains high. Even after opening up the blocked artery that is causing the heart attack, the heart muscle continues to undergo damage and cell death over time, becoming weaker. We have developed novel ultrasound techniques using microbubbles that can be targeted to the heart, and can be used to deliver genes without the need for direct injections. A non-invasive means of delivery would facilitate an easy and safe method for repeated gene therapies in patients to prevent the ongoing damage that occurs after a heart attack and help the heart heal in a stronger fashion and pump better. We propose to study new genes that work faster and are more effective to help the heart heal. If successful, our research will lead to new non-invasive therapies to treat heart attacks.