New models for acute MI/HF translation
Using novel systems, how would you propose to bridge the translational gap between current rodent models and clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction and ischemic heart failure?
Fereshteh Haghighi
Research Scientist
Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Disease Research
Matthias Enders
Senior Scientist
Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Disease Research
Call for proposals: All incoming answers accompanied by a collaboration proposal will be evaluated by a scientific jury, and, upon selection, chosen proposals are pursued collaboratively with the successful applicants. Funding requests should not exceed 300,000 euros per submitted project in total. Depending on the complexity and degree of validation of a proposed model, different budget terms may be applicable.
More information
Despite significant advances in cardiovascular research, there is currently no scalable and reproducible human multicellular in vitro model that recapitulates the complex pathophysiology of ischemic heart injury. This gap represents a major barrier to translating mechanistic insight into effective therapies.
To date, rodent models have provided important mechanistic insights into myocardial infarction (MI) and subsequent cardiac remodeling. However, fundamental species differences exist, particularly the fact that inflammatory, reparative, and remodeling phases are highly compressed in rodents occurring over days to a few weeks, whereas in humans these processes evolve over weeks to months. As a result, rodent models fail to capture critical temporal, cellular, and molecular features that shape human disease progression.
These limitations explain the low translatability of these preclinical findings and the subsequent failure of human clinical trials. Consequently, there is a strong unmet need for human multicellular systems that enable therapeutic intervention studies, establish a meaningful connection between human disease and preclinical observations, and increase confidence in findings derived from rodent studies.
Therefore, we are seeking an advanced, scalable, and reproducible human multicellular platform that can mimic ischemic conditions and reproduce key pathological features of myocardial infarction, including hypoxia-driven injury, inflammatory responses, fibrotic remodeling, and functional impairment. Ultimately, such models should enable comprehensive testing and characterization of therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving and/or improving cardiac function while limiting cardiac damage.
- Innovative models reflecting biology and pathology of acute MI and/or ischemic cardiac injury
- Proposals using novel/advanced multicellular approaches (e.g. organoids, organ-on-a-chip, human tissue, tissue engineering, tissue slices, etc.)
- Proposals using (but not limited to) human cardiac myocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, cardiac endothelial cells, and immune cells
- Human primary and/or human iPSC-derived models
- Integration of functional readouts (e.g., contractility, electrophysiology, calcium handling, imaging, fibrosis, etc.) to assess injury and therapeutic response
- Models that would allow the validation of relevant biomarkers prognostic of the disease stage would strengthen the proposal
- Models which link clinical outcomes to predictive preclinical models or vice versa would also strengthen the proposal
- Models of cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias
- Genetic models and genome-editing
- Non-human in vitro models
- Human 2D-systems (mono/co-cultures)
- Approaches solely based on computational models
If your project is selected, you will have the opportunity to directly collaborate with the CardioRenalMetabolic Diseases Research Team of Boehringer Ingelheim. You can expect appropriate funding for the prospective collaboration period. Your exact funding request should be outlined in your proposal. As a framework, we suggest that your funding request be structured in milestones and not exceed 300,000 euros per submitted project in total. Please note that depending on the complexity and maturity of a proposed model and the degree of validation, different budget terms could be negotiated with you.
Our collaboration agreement will provide full transparency about each partner’s rights & obligations (including intellectual property rights). As part of the agreement, you will be encouraged to publish following the collaboration agreement (to be negotiated in good faith).
We are seeking research collaboration proposals that contain:
- A well-structured proposal outlining a novel humanized multicellular model for acute MI and/or ischemic heart failure with existing initial functional data and/or publications.
- Any form of preliminary validation and/or the provision of relevant omics data would strengthen the proposal.
- Your exact funding request should be outlined in your proposal. The project should be structured in milestones and planned with key decision points (clear Go/No-Go criteria). The funding request for the initial milestones resulting in a Go/No-Go decision should not exceed 300,000 euros per submitted project in total. Depending on the complexity and maturity of a proposed model and the degree of validation, different budget terms could be negotiated with the selected partner(s).
- Proven track record in the required field of expertise.
- Ability to implement the outlined solution as part of a scientific collaboration project with Boehringer Ingelheim including access to a wet laboratory.
- Openness to transfer the established assay/model system to Boehringer Ingelheim’s laboratories.
- Proposals that lead to a fully established model including validation within two years will be prioritized.
Please use our answer submission template to provide a 2–3 page non-confidential proposal (available for download here).
If confidential data exists that would strengthen the proposal, please indicate that information is available to share under a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA). If we find the non-confidential concept proposal sufficiently interesting, we will execute a CDA for confidential discussions.
We are currently seeking answers for the following scientific question: Using novel systems, how would you propose to bridge the translational gap between current rodent models and clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction and ischemic heart failure?
All incoming answers accompanied by a collaboration proposal will be evaluated by a scientific jury, and, upon selection, chosen proposals are pursued through a joint collaboration with the successful applicants. Funding requests should not exceed 300,000 euros per submitted project in total. Depending on the complexity and degree of validation of a proposed model, different budget terms may be applicable.
We can only accept research proposals if they arrive no later than June 1, 2026, 11:59 pm PST.
