# Animal and Clinical Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · 2021 · $661,786

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: With the use of fetal cardiac surgical techniques, Core C is designed to provide PPG investigators
with rigorously defined and reproducible novel ovine models of congenital heart disease (CHD). To this end,
Core C will comprehensively generate, manage and provide all animal-related experiments, resources, and
expertise. In addition, Core C will obtain peri-operative blood samples from neonates, infants, children, and
adults with a wide range of differing congenital heart defects, to be utilized by PPG investigators. A secure
database is already established that contains banked samples and clinical data on >300 patients. In this context,
Core C will be defined by providing six services: 1) Ovine models of CHD. This will include our well-established
Shunt model and our newly created LPA ligation model. Tissues (peripheral lung and isolated vessels) and
primary pulmonary artery endothelial and smooth muscle cells (both proximal and microvascular) will be
available to PPG investigators. 2) Acquisition and analysis of data. This will include the evaluation of
cardiopulmonary hemodynamics, pulmonary vascular reactivity (both in vivo and in vitro), the assessment of
pulmonary vascular remodeling, advanced in vivo imaging, the effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on
hemodynamics and vascular function, and the effect of different therapies. 3) Biochemical, proliferation,
apoptosis, and angiogenesis determinations. This will include the measurement of various reactive oxygen and
nitrogen species of oxygen or nitrogen oxide in vascular cells and tissues, indices of cell proliferation, apoptosis,
and tube formation. 4) The in vitro assessment of differing biomechanical forces. This includes the utilization of
a novel microfluidic chamber (UCSD) that allows the simultaneous and independent variation of pressure, cyclic
stretch, and flow-induced shear stresses on the vascular endothelial cells. 5) Use of the CAR peptide to target
therapeutics to the damaged pulmonary endothelium. To reduce the potential of off-target effects, we will utilize
IV co-delivery of our therapies with the CARSKNKDC (CAR) peptide. 6) A bio-repository and corresponding
clinical database of neonates, infants, children, and adults with CHD. Blood samples from patients with CHD
will be obtained before and after surgical repair for human confirmation of aberrant pathways initially identified
in animals and for metabolic screening. Correlation between the identified aberrations, with the type of CHD (+/-
flow; +/- pressure), and degree of pre-operative and post-operative pulmonary vascular disease will be sought.
Core C will enhance the scientific work for all three projects by assuring that all animal models are standardized
and performed in a uniform manner by highly experienced and trained personnel. Investigators who have had
many years of experience using these techniques run Core C. They have developed or adapted several of the
techniques and applied them to perform physiologica...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10233971
- **Project number:** 5P01HL146369-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY R FINEMAN
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $661,786
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-10 → 2021-08-02

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10233971

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10233971, Animal and Clinical Core (5P01HL146369-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10233971. Licensed CC0.

---

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