“We are very grateful to Kusuma Trust for their generosity in supporting our research at King's. Heart attacks and their consequences continue to be a major cause of disease for patients and a burden to families and the health care system. There is a desperate need to understand how to blunt the damage, and to develop ways to repair the heart. These are the ultimate goals of the new programmes of work that Kusuma Trust is now supporting, and we are truly excited to start."
Professor Mauro Giacca, Head of the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences
14 February 2025
Kusuma Trust grants to support vital cardiac research
The Kusuma Trust has awarded King’s two grants worth over £570,000 to support cardiac research.
One of the grants will support a post-doctoral fellow to research cardiac regenerative therapies for heart failure with the aim to find new ways to help heart cells regrow, potentially curing heart failure in younger patients.
The second grant will fund a PhD position to investigate ways to identify genetic mutations in blood cells that cause excessive inflammation after a heart attack. By pinpointing these genes, the research will lead to the development of new treatment that can be quickly tested and used in clinical practice to improve heart recovery and prevent heart failure.
The grants will support and benefit from the Centre of Research Excellence in Advanced Cardiac Therapies (REACT) at King’s. Announced in December last year, REACT – co-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) – will focus on developing genetic therapies for heart disease.
The Kusuma Trust is a philanthropic family trust that seeks to give grants to causes, organisations and people that are making a positive difference to society.
In this story
Head of the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences