Our Novel and Emerging Technologies Grants are awarded to medical research projects that focus on the development of new and innovative technologies to diagnose, treat and prevent heart diseases and related conditions. To help us ensure that we support the highest quality science and the best scientists we have the help of a panel of cardiologists, surgeons and scientists with expertise and knowledge in the specific area.
One of these is Georgina Ellison-Hughes, Professor of Regenerative Muscle Physiology at King’s College London. She’s also currently working on a research project, funded by Heart Research UK, looking at a new way to eliminate so-called ‘zombie’ cells in the heart and improving the heart’s own ability to repair itself.
How did you decide that you wanted to be a researcher?
“I wanted to be a medical researcher ever since my first indication that it was a career option.
“The reason I wanted to go into heart research was because my grandfather died very suddenly of a massive heart attack.
“I was very close to him. I was a bit annoyed, really, that nothing could be done to save him. My mum was very much like ‘ohh, you know he’s old, he had a bad heart’. But I remember thinking, what is it about ageing that makes a heart deteriorate? And what happens if we could stop that from happening and keep the heart healthier for longer?”
Heart Research UK is funding a research project where you’re looking at ‘zombie’ cells of the heart and how we can get rid of these for the heart to rejuvenate itself. How is it going?
“We still have about another four or five months left on the project and we’ve collected quite a lot of data.
“These ‘zombie’ cells, or senescent cells, appear as part of the ageing process and they are dysfunctional, and they also refuse to die.
“So, they hang around and they release really harmful chemicals that can then have an effect on cells that are nearby, making them become dysfunctional too.
“We’re using a type of drug called senolytics that destroys ‘zombie’ cells. What we’ve shown is that when we eliminate the zombie cells, we can improve the survival and also the proliferation of human cardiac cells.”
What would you say is the end goal for this research? If you’re able to dream big.
“I think the end goal would be that senolytics can be used to improve cardiovascular health and prevent cardiovascular disease.
“If we see similar results that we’re seeing in the preclinical models, then I think that senolytics could be used as an additional therapy to improve cardiovascular health.
“But ‘zombie’ cells don’t just target the heart, there are also senescent cells that affect different organs and tissues throughout the body. They are really detrimental in for example atherosclerosis which has been known for many years.”
Why did you want to be part of our NET panel?
“Because I find the NET grant scheme really exciting. It’s different to other grants and panels that are around, especially in the field of the heart.
“I’m really interested in seeing the clinical benefit and impact of the research that we do. I want to see the work that we’re doing go into the clinic and benefit patients. I know I don’t want to work for the next 20 years and not think that anything I’ve worked on has progressed from where we’re at today.
“One of the great things about the NET grant scheme is that Heart Research UK wants to see clinical impact and pathway to the clinic within a set time frame.”
Where do you think novel and emerging technology will take cardiovascular disease treatments in the future?
“I think it has a huge potential, to take us into, in some ways, a whole new world. Something like AI could really take us into being a leader in terms of healthcare and innovation in the future.
“What’s also great is the emerging technologies in terms of wearable devices and using AI to help people to become more educated about their own health and wellbeing.
“But we need to take responsibility for that. We have so many sources where we can get information about what affects people’s lifestyles now. I think it would be good to use that information to inform the future development for the next generations, to make sure that we do prevent and delay heart disease and other conditions.”
Why would you say that investing in research is important for the future?
“If you don’t have people doing the research, then you’re never going to discover and find out whether something is worthwhile, whether something works or doesn’t work. You are able to impact change.
“But it’s also important for people like me who, when I was 18 years old, I realised that that’s what I wanted to do. It’s a career and a vocation.
“And it gives me so much back, by doing good, if you like. And I think we need to have career pathways that are like that, where people feel like they are doing good and they can see the bigger picture rather than thinking life is all about working or making money.”
