Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Optimization of Fontan Creation and Failing Fontan VAD Implementation Using Patient-Specific Flow Modeling and Ex-Vivo flow MRI Cardiac Simulation

Award Number: F32HL189191
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/10/2027
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/09/2028

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Optimization of Fontan Creation and Failing Fontan VAD Implementation Using Patient-Specific Flow Modeling and Ex-Vivo flow MRI Cardiac Simulation - Project Summary/Abstract Single ventricle defects affect about 5 per 10,000 live births. In the absence of two functional ventricles, systemic and pulmonary circulations compete for limited cardiac output, leading to near-universal mortality by age two without surgical intervention. Since the 1970s, staged surgical palliation culminating in Fontan circulation has transformed survival, and now above 80% of patients live into their thirties. Adults with Fontan circulation experience high risks of thrombosis, arrhythmias, and, most critically, heart failure. By age 40, over 40% develop heart failure, for which transplantation remains the only definitive therapy. With over 60,000 individuals worldwide now living with Fontan physiology, this represents a growing and urgent challenge. My research integrates patient-specific computational modeling and ex-vivo experimentation via 4D-flow MRI compatible cardiac simulator to optimize pre-operative planning for Fontan creation and VAD implementation in single ventricle patients. First, I will build flow models testing the hepatic flow distributions and energy loss between lateral tunnel and extracardiac Fontan techniques and then validate these findings in our cardiac simulator. From this foundation, I will apply this to patients pre-Fontan creation to inform optimal technical considerations for Fontan creation. We will also investigate abnormal venous anatomy and arteriovenous malformations (AVM) to see if hepatic flow distribution predicts AVM formation. For failing Fontan patients, we will apply these principles to test whether continuous or pulsatile ventricular assist device (VAD) support in the ventriculo-aortic or Fontan-pulmonary artery configuration improve hemodynamics optimally to inform VAD implementation in this patient population. These parallel arms tackling the beginning and end stage clinical picture of Fontan patients will utilize flow modeling and ex-vivo iterative repair simulation with 4D-flow MRI to optimize single ventricle management throughout its time course. By bridging in silico flow modeling with laboratory validation, this work aims to refine surgical decision-making, VAD implementation in single ventricle physiology, and ultimately extend both survival and quality of life for children and adults with single ventricle physiology.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $81,580 )
2026	2026	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	000	1	8/11/2026	NEW	$81,580
2026	2026	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	001	1	8/21/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $81,580

Grand Total All Awards = $81,580

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Optimization of Fontan Creation and Failing Fontan VAD Implementation Using Patient-Specific Flow Modeling and Ex-Vivo flow MRI Cardiac Simulation

Award Number: F32HL189191

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/10/2027

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/09/2028

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer