Cleveland Clinic researchers reported that they have received a $9.2 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Maryland) to extend ongoing studies on the role of inflammation in heart disease.

Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, section head of Preventive Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic and a staff member in Lerner Research Institute's (Cleveland) Department of Cell Biology, is the principal investigator of the $9,276,395 award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Bethesda, Maryland).

Inflammation is thought to contribute to the development of atherosclerotic heart disease, in which plaque builds up on arteries' inner lining and can lead to heart attack and death. The purpose of the research is to develop a deeper understanding of the mechanisms linking inflammation to cardiovascular disease and its adverse consequences.

The present award is a continuation of a previously funded research program that resulted in significant findings that have already impacted patient care. Hazen and colleagues discovered that blood levels of a specific enzyme – myeloperoxidase (MPO) – can be used to identify people who are at risk for heart attack. They developed a diagnostic test for MPO that is now FDA-approved and used worldwide.

Multiple researchers are involved, each focusing on different biological mechanisms that cause inflammation or the build up of plaque inside arteries. Each project included in this grant involves a multidisciplinary approach that spans from basic chemical and biochemical processes to cellular studies to animal model studies to human clinical investigations.

In other grants news, On Jan. 22, Danny Bluestein, PhD, professor of bioengineering at the State University of New York (SUNY; Albany, New York), in collaboration with Marvin Slepian, MD, professor of medicine (cardiology) at the University of Arizona (Tuscon) reported that they had submitted a Phase II Quantum Grant proposal to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB; Bethesda, Maryland).

"During Phase I of this project, we developed and tested the Device Thrombogenicity Emulator (DTE)," said Bluestein. "The DTE measures the potential for blood clotting in cardiovascular devices by mimicking the conditions in the device as extracted from advanced numerical simulations. Conceptually, it is analogous to a wind tunnel used for aeronautic and automotive testing."

If the proposal is awarded the grant, Bluestein plans to use the DTE to test and optimize the designs of prosthetic heart valves, left ventricular assist devices, biventricular assist devices and the SynCardia (Tuscon, Arizona) temporary CardioWest Total Artificial Heart. Bluestein closely collaborates with SynCardia Systems and with other device manufacturers who are partners in the proposal.