# Transcriptomic Entropy to Quantify Maturation of PSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $569,789

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The immaturity of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (PSC-CMs) has emerged as a major challenge
for their broad applicability. For this reason, extensive biological and engineering efforts are underway with the
goal to generate mature, adult-like CMs from PSCs. However, owing to the lack of quantitative metrics to
benchmark the maturation status of PSC-CMs, the efforts are being made largely on an ad hoc basis, and this
leaves the degree and direction of PSC-CM maturation unclear. To address this, we have developed a
quantitative metric based on an entropy concept that enables cross-comparison studies robust to experimental
variability and species difference. With this finding, this proposal aims to apply entropy score to determine the
status and trajectory of PSC-CM maturation achieved by molecular stimulation, tissue engineering, and in vivo
transplantation, combined with functional and structural analysis. The use of entropy score is expected to reveal
strengths and weaknesses of the ongoing approaches and inform us potential causes of maturation arrest and
deviations. Thus, the proposed research will provide mechanistic insights into instructing PSC-CM to become
adult CMs as well as quantitative insights into the progress made towards PSC-CM maturation in the field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10179233
- **Project number:** 1R01HL156947-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Deok-Ho Kim
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $569,789
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10179233

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10179233, Transcriptomic Entropy to Quantify Maturation of PSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes (1R01HL156947-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10179233. Licensed CC0.

---

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