Projects

Artificial Heart Muscle

This is just one of many innovative projects funded by HRUK. This major project is financed totally by HRUK at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Leeds University which should benefit thousands of patients with heart disease and could, ultimately, herald a massive reduction in the number of heart transplants. The concept of the muscle is simply to assist a weak heart by wrapping an artificial muscle around the recipient’s heart, inside the chest cavity, and gently squeezing. An implanted computer chip will read the patient’s own cardiac activity sensing when the natural heart is tiring. Small muscle-like components will then be activated to contract and relax in synchronisation with the heart, thereby aiding its pumping action.

If you'd like to read more about the most recent projects to receive funding from Heart Research UK please go to our 'grants' section.

You can also read some of our research highlights by downloading our 2009 Research Highlights document.