# Phenotype, dynamics and activation of myocardial B lymphocytes in response toischemia/reperfusion injury

> **NIH NIH K08** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $150,593

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
 The goal of this proposal is to develop the Principal Investigator (PI) into an independent physician
scientist in the field of cardiovascular research. The PI has previously obtained PhD training in developmental
biology and has obtained additional training in basic and translational cardiovascular research. At this point in
time, the PI has completed clinical training in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Advanced Heart Failure and
Cardiac Transplant and he is a post-doctoral research fellow (supported by T32 HL007081) in Dr. Douglas
Mann’s Lab. The following 5-year career development plan will provide the PI formal training in immunology
and ongoing laboratory training in the study of cardiac injury. At the conclusion of this award period, the PI will
have acquired the skills necessary to become an independent and successful physician scientist.
 Dr. Douglas Mann, Chief of Cardiology at Washington University, will be the primary mentor of the PI.
Dr. Mann is a recognized leader in myocardial inflammation and has a tremendous breadth of experience in
cardiovascular research. His expertise spans from basic to clinical science where he has defined the role of
pro-inflammatory cytokines in heart failure and spearheaded a clinical trial based on his results. As such, he
serves as a perfect example of a successful physician scientist that is able to translate basic science research
into the clinical arena. The PI will take advantage of this mentorship along with the enormous basic science
and clinical resources available at Washington University (an internationally recognized premier academic
institution) to define a new area of clinically relevant basic science research.
 Heart failure is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality related to cardiovascular disease
and single handedly drains almost 2% of total US healthcare spending. Recent evidence suggests that
modulation of myocardial B lymphocytes might provide an innovative therapeutic approach to reduce the
development of heart failure in patients that experienced heart damage. Unfortunately, our current
understanding of the biology of myocardial B lymphocytes is minimal. We recently found that myocardial B
lymphocytes are much more heterogeneous than what was previously appreciated. We identified several
subgroups of myocardial B cells and we showed that different sub-groups of myocardial B cells respond
differently to acute heart damage. In this proposal, we will test the hypothesis that the myocardium harbors
dynamic subpopulations of B lymphocytes with different ontogeny, that produce specific responses to acute
cardiac injury, and that B cells have antagonistic roles within the amplification/resolution balance of the
inflammatory response to cardiac damage.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10463823
- **Project number:** 5K08HL145108-04
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Luigi Adamo
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $150,593
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10463823

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10463823, Phenotype, dynamics and activation of myocardial B lymphocytes in response toischemia/reperfusion injury (5K08HL145108-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10463823. Licensed CC0.

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