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CaMKII inhibition as a novel therapy for diabetic cardiomyopathy

Year:
2015
Duration:
40 months
Approved budget:
$1,046,771.98
Researchers:
Associate Professor Jeffrey Erickson
Health issue:
Diabetes
Proposal type:
Project
Lay summary
The incidence of diabetes mellitus in New Zealand and the world is reaching epidemic levels, creating a substantial burden on personal health and medical cost for the public. The most common cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients is heart failure, yet even today there exists a paucity of clinical therapies directed specifically at heart failure in diabetic patients. Recent work by our group and others has implicated CaMKII, a protein associated with cardiac dysfunction, in the development of heart disease during diabetes. In this proposal, our aim is to translate these basic research findings by examining inhibition of CaMKII as a potential clinical therapy for the prevention of diabetic heart disease. We also intend to test existing drugs known to inhibit CaMKII activity to see whether they can restore cardiac function in diabetic patients.