Project description
Neuroprosthetic restoration of neural control in the transplanted heart
Heart transplantation (HT) is the last resort for patients with end-stage heart failure. However, while it increases life expectancy, the quality of life of HT recipients is still limited. Late complications occur mainly due to chronotropic incompetence associated with cardiac denervation. Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), the most common technique used, involves the complete surgical denervation of the heart, leading to significant modulation of the rate- and load-contractility relationship of the donor's heart. The EU-funded NeuHeart project aims to develop a bioelectronic solution based on integrated cardiac smart neuroprosthesis. This approach will be tested in a preclinical model of OHT to demonstrate the feasibility of re-establishing vagal control in a denervated heart by re-enabling the heart–vagus nerve closed-loop connection.
Objective
With 3500 annual surgeries worldwide, heart transplantation is the last resort for an increasing number of patients affected by end-stage heart failure (HF). Heart transplant (HTx) can significantly increase life expectancy of HF patients but unfortunately exercise capacity and health-related quality of life of HTx recipients are still limited, due to the increased frequency of late complications mainly owing to chronotropic incompetence because of cardiac denervation. Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is the most common approach of HTx, involving the complete explantation of the native heart, making surgical denervation inevitable. Therefore, the modulation of rate- and load-contractility relationship of the donor heart is significantly altered after transplantation even if using different surgical techniques.
Addressing this fundamental clinical problem is the main goal of NeuHeart, that will be furthered by specifically investigating the physiology of denervated heart which will facilitate the development of a bioelectronic solution based on the closed-loop neuromodulation of the vagus nerve (VN), using a regenerative neural interface (for VN stimulation) and implanted artificial sensors (to record sensory information and close the loop). This cardiac smart neuroprosthesis will be tested in a swine model of OHT to demonstrate the feasibility of artificially re-establising vagal control in a denervated heart, by re-enabling the cardiac-vagal connection: the overall research output of the project will deliver multiple impacts, remarkably contributing to heart transplant science (fundamental research), help in the constitution of a new treatment paradigm for heart failure (clinics and society), and reach into the emerging industry of bioelectronic medicine (technology market), guaranteeing Europe a position of ‘first mover’ into this field.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine surgery
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine transplantation
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.2.2. - FET Proactive
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-FETPROACT-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
56127 Pisa
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.