# Scientific Core B Cardiac Imaging Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2021 · $393,753

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The Cardiac Imaging Core (Core B) will provide service to all 3 projects with the goals of generating confocal
microscopy- and in vivo ultrasound – based analyses of cardiac development, structure, and function. Core B
will be directed by Michael Rubart, M.D., who will provide expertise in confocal imaging of tissues. Dr. Rubart
will be assisted by Ronald Payne, M.D., who will provide expertise in ultrasound imaging of embryonic and
postnatal cardiac development and function. Core B's services enhance the efficiency of the Projects by
providing consistent expertise in the capture and evaluation of images from tissue sections and hearts in vivo,
using confocal microscopy and echocardiography, respectively. There are 2 Specific Aims for the Core: Aim 1
will provide high-quality, unbiased confocal fluorescence imaging of the pre- and postnatal heart, as well as
quantitative image analyses. Approaches utilized in Aim 1 will quantitatively assess (i) primitive streak
formation and node polarity (Project 1), (ii) sarcomeric organization and cardiomyocyte polarity (Project 1-3),
and (iii) ventricular wall trabeculation and compaction (Project 3). Imaging will be performed using a laser
scanning confocal microscope equipped with multiple laser excitation lines and detector channels, as well as a
variety of high/low magnification, high/low numerical aperture objectives. Aim 2 will provide high-resolution in
vivo ultrasound imaging of the pre- and postnatal heart in Projects 1-3 in order to generate quantitative data of
structure, function, and flow relative to genetic alterations in cardiac development. In addition, ultrasound
imaging will allow the study of longitudinal structural and functional data. Ultrasound imaging will utilize probes
with frequency bands from 13 to 70 MHz, and linear array transducer technology, enabling imaging of hearts at
different stages of development and frame acquisition at high rates, respectively. Available analysis software
will enable quantification of cardiac contractile performance, chamber dimensions, and flow pattern, including
detection and size estimation of intracardiac shunts. Overall, technologies utilized in the Cardiac Imaging Core
will enable unbiased, quantitative assessments of changes in cardiac structure and function as a result of
genetic alterations studied in each of the three Projects of this application.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10111562
- **Project number:** 5P01HL134599-05
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL RUBART-VAN DER LOHE
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $393,753
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-02-15 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10111562

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10111562, Scientific Core B Cardiac Imaging Core (5P01HL134599-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10111562. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*