Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC | Virginia Tech Health & Biomedical Research
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May 28, 2026
Scientists uncover protein that could help failing hearts recover
Researchers have identified a key protein that may help failing hearts regain function, offering new insight into why some hearts recover while others do not.
The discovery comes from studying patients treated with left ventricular assist devices, or LVADs, which are mechanical pumps that reduce strain on the heart and allow it to rest and recover. While these devices can stabilize patients with advanced heart failure, only a subset experience meaningful recovery, and the biological reasons have remained unclear.
In a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, cardiovascular molecular researcher Junco Warren of Virginia Tech and cardiologist Stavros Drakos of the University of Utah found that a protein called PERM1 is fully restored in patients whose hearts recover after LVAD support. Patients who did not recover showed no such restoration.
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Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
The Symphonic Biology of Exercise
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The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic biomedical research enterprises and a destination for world-class biomedical, behavioral, and computational researchers focused on advancing scientific understanding of human health through groundbreaking research in preventing, diagnosing, and treating the world’s leading causes of death and suffering.
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The Symphonic Biology of Exercise , homeJune 4, 2026, 5:30 p.m. (Reception at 5 p.m.) | R. Sanders Williams, M.D., Professor and Dean Emeritus, School of Medicine, Senior Advisor for Science & Technology, Duke University | Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
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Research in Progress Seminar , homeJune 9, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m. | Rasha W. Al-Ali, Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Hourigan Lab | Spring Research in Progress Seminar Series
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20th International Biochemistry of Exercise Conference , redirectJune 1-5, 2026 | IBEC 20206: Exercise and Healthspan | Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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