• Science Saturday: Molecular mapping of the heart to predict disease susceptibility

a graphic of the human chest in blue, orange and red, illustrating heart disease

Vulnerability to heart disease can be projected before symptoms occur, Mayo Clinic discovered in preclinical research. This proof-of-concept study revealed that heart muscle changes indicate who is vulnerable to disease later in life. These changes can be detected from blood samples through comprehensive protein and metabolite profiling. This exploratory mapping, conducted in the Marriott Family Comprehensive Cardiac Regenerative Program within Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics, is published in Scientific Reports.

"The team implemented state-of-the-art technologies to predict who is vulnerable and who is protected from heart disease," says Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and the senior author. "In this era of post-genomic medicine, the acquired foundational knowledge provides guidance for development of curative solutions targeted to correct the disease-causing maladaptation." Dr. Terzic is the Marriott Family Director, Comprehensive Cardiac Regenerative Medicine, for the Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Marriott Family Professor of Cardiovascular Research.

Heart disease is a leading killer in the U.S., responsible for 1 of every 4 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Predicting and intervening early in heart disease are health care priorities aimed at improving survival and quality of life while reducing health care costs.

To address unmet needs of patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, Mayo Clinic has invested in regenerative medicine and individualized medicine, transformative emerging fields in modern health care. Regenerative medicine seeks to restore the form and function of a failing or diseased organ, with individualized medicine tailoring care to a person's makeup. Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine is prioritizing clinical-grade biotherapeutics, targeting diseases with no cure.

Read the rest of the article on the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics blog.

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