# Role of Biomechanical Cues for Stem cell based Myocardial Infarction Therapy

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2020 · $128,211

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY 
Myocardial infarction and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy followed by heart failure is a major cause of death 
worldwide. As the terminally differentiated adult cardiomyocytes possess a very limited innate ability to 
regenerate, much research has focussed on exploring the potential of adult stem cells and induced pluripotent 
stem cells to repair the damaged myocardium. However with regards to benefits till date, experimental and 
clinical trials have shown sub-optimal to modest results. The main drawback for this is that the mechanisms 
involved for the in vivo therapy is not well understood. Suggested pathways include permanent or partial cell 
fusion between stem cells and resident cardiac cells, transdifferentiation of stem cells into cardiac and vascular 
cells and secretion of proangiogenic paracrine factors. However, none of them have considered the fact that the 
dynamic cardiac microenvironment can also induce significant biological effects on the transplanted stem cells 
that can influence their overall fate and functionality. 
In this project we will study, for the first time, the fundamental microenvironmental interactions between 
mesenchymal stem cells and contractile cardiomyocytes in a continuously beating 3D microenvironment that 
can influence the clinical outcomes when transplanted in patients with cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, we will 
also study the potential of the mechano-biologically activated stem cells, pre-conditioned in this 3D cardiac 
microenvironment, for myocardial regeneration therapy in animal model. 
Established collaborations with members (physicians and scientists) from the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center 
(MSCTC) at KU Medical Center, The KU Center for Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology (CESCB), KU Center for 
Molecular Analysis of Disease Pathways (CMADP) and University of Cincinnati Cardiovascular Disease Center 
will provide further support and guidance to successfully pursue the project.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994338
- **Project number:** 5P20GM103638-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Arghya Paul
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $128,211
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-15 → 2018-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994338

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994338, Role of Biomechanical Cues for Stem cell based Myocardial Infarction Therapy (5P20GM103638-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994338. Licensed CC0.

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