Breakthrough technique to improve understanding of heart cell behavior

Assistant Professor Yuecheng "Peter" Zhou of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has secured a $231,000 Career Development Award from the American Heart Association to create a revolutionary method for simultaneously tracking electrical and mechanical signals in heart cells. Heart cells are complex systems where electrical signals trigger mechanical contractions. Existing research techniques typically study these processes separately, creating significant gaps in understanding heart function and disease.

The Innovative Approach

Zhou's research will develop a single-shot, label-free optical mapping technique that will:

• Capture electrical signals and mechanical contractions simultaneously.
• Offer high detection sensitivity.
• Maintain excellent spatial and time resolution.
• Avoid using potentially disruptive dyes or labels with cells.

Key Research Questions

The project will investigate three critical areas:

1. How electrical signals and mechanical contractions interact in healthy and diseased hearts.
2. The impact of drugs on heart cell functions.
3. How the stiffness of surrounding environments affects heart cell behavior.

“We envision our new research tool could provide detailed insights into heart cell function and lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses. It could also help us identify harmful side effects of drugs on the heart in the development process. In this way, drug testing will become safer and cost-effective.

Additionally, we will show how heart cells work and respond to tissue stiffness. This will allow the development of more effective therapies tailored to different patients and could also lead to new treatments for heart diseases. We hope our research could help to fight heart disease, improve heart health and save lives." - Assistant Professor Yuecheng "Peter" Zhou

Specific Breakthroughs

• Earlier detection of potential heart issues.
• More cost-effective drug testing.
• Deeper understanding of how heart cells respond to different conditions.

By the Numbers

• Award Amount: $231,000 given over a three-year grant period.
• Project duration of April 2025 - March 2028.
• Unique Approach: First comprehensive, label-free mapping of cardiac electromechanical coupling.

The Big Picture

Zhou's work represents a significant step toward understanding the intricate mechanics of heart cell function, potentially opening new pathways for treating and preventing heart disease.

Illinois Grainger Engineering Affiliations 

Yuecheng "Peter" Zhou is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor of Materials Science and Engineering and is affiliated with the Department of Bioengineering, the Materials Research Laboratory and the Beckman Institute.