Tissue Donation for Developing Aortic Stenosis Therapies

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Tissue Donation for Developing Aortic Stenosis Therapies

  • IRAS ID

    353726

  • Contact name

    David Newby

  • Contact email

    d.e.newby@ed.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Edinburgh

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 11 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    In patients with narrowing of the aortic valve (aortic stenosis), the valve becomes thickened with scarring (fibrosis) and hardening (calcification) of the valve leaflets. Progression of the disease also results in scarring (fibrosis) of the heart muscle. Aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease in the UK. No medical therapy has been demonstrated to slow disease progression in the valve, or improve how the heart muscle responds to the valve obstruction. In order to develop effective treatments to slow down or stop progression of aortic stenosis, improving the understanding the disease at varying stages of the disease will be crucial.

    In an effort to overcome a major limitation in aortic stenosis research in accessing tissue in early stages of disease and control tissue, an agreement has been made with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) to receive surplus aortic valves and cardiovascular tissues/other heart valves from deceased individuals not used for transplantation. We aim to receive tissues from up to 100 individuals and the study will last a total of 36 months.

  • REC name

    HSC REC B

  • REC reference

    25/NI/0065

  • Date of REC Opinion

    16 Apr 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion