# Fate-mapping of Cardiac Monocyte Recruitment and Specification

> **NIH NIH K99** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $101,449

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Cardiovascular disease including myocardial infarction represents one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Despite currently available treatments, myocardial infarction remains a major index event which can lead to
progression of heart failure. Current therapies focus on preventing the progression of adverse remodeling
including development of fibrosis. However, little progress has been made in the development of treatments to
prevent or reverse this remodeling.
In recent years, it has been demonstrated that cardiac injury elicits an immense immune response involving the
majority of known immune cell types. In recent years, it has also been demonstrated that the recruitment of
monocytes leads to incredible diversity in macrophage populations with distinct expression profiles. Experiments
in both mice and humans in numbers cardiovascular diseases has demonstrated this diversity. In this proposal,
the PI aims to investigate how and when these diverse macrophage populations obtain their fate and
investigate the potential of interferon signaling as a regulator of this diversification.
The scientific goals of this award are to identify the spatiotemporal dynamics of macrophage recruitment and
specification after cardiac injury. By the end of this award period, the PI aims to establish when monocytes
entering the heart acquire their specific macrophage transcriptional profile as observed to be highly diverse in
prior experiments. The PI will utilize new technologies including intravital 2-photon imaging and advanced
computational biology techniques. The PI will also identify the role of interferon signaling in the specification of
macrophage populations as well as in repair and inflammation after cardiac injury. This will be completed by
modulating interferon signaling in recruited monocytes. At the end of this award period, the PI will have generated
a better understanding of how the complex immune response to heart injury occurs.
The career development goal of this proposal is to aid in the PI’s success in becoming an independent
investigator. The PI has previously obtained a PhD in developmental biology and completed 3 years of
postdoctoral training in cardiac immunology. The proposed 2-year mentored research time under this award will
provide the PI with formal training in immunology, computational biology, and grant-writing. Additionally, the
mentorship team and advisory committee will provide training and advice on technical skills, management skills,
and making early career decisions. By completing this award period, the PI will have acquired the skills necessary
to become a successful independent researcher.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10897222
- **Project number:** 5K99HL166861-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Leighton Koenig
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $101,449
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10897222

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10897222, Fate-mapping of Cardiac Monocyte Recruitment and Specification (5K99HL166861-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10897222. Licensed CC0.

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