Seed funding sparks top-ranked heart research

A generous gift. A bold idea. And a top-ranking grant. That’s the trajectory of a University of Calgary research project that’s helping us understand the heart’s potential to heal.

In 2023, a team of multidisciplinary researchers at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute received inaugural support from the Michael and Terry Wilson Cardiovascular Research Innovation Fund. Their mission was to investigate the role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT)—the fatty tissue that surrounds the heart—in driving or protecting against cardiovascular disease.

Now, some members of that team have leveraged early-stage philanthropic support into more success. Researchers Dr. Vaibhav Patel, PhD, and Dr. Paul Fedak, MD, PhD, secured a highly competitive Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant, ranking first in the pan-Canadian competition.

“It’s a powerful example of how philanthropy accelerates science,” says Fedak, Libin Institute director. “The Wilson funding allowed us to generate the critical early data we needed to show the potential of this new area of research. We’re now building on that foundation to explore therapies that could truly change lives.”

A novel frontier in heart health

While cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of premature death worldwide, EAT has emerged as a potential key player. This fat tissue, once thought to be biologically inert, is now being recognized for its active role in inflammation, scarring and cellular signaling that may influence heart and vascular conditions like atrial fibrillation and post-heart attack healing.

With the Wilson funding, Patel and a diverse team of scientists and clinicians began deciphering the molecular crosstalk between EAT and the heart—how signals from this tissue might spark or suppress disease processes. That research opened the door to a new and intriguing hypothesis: that stem cells found within EAT could help the heart heal after a heart attack.

Unlocking the heart’s healing potential

Backed by the CIHR grant, Patel and Fedak are now looking deeper to understand the mechanisms behind how EAT-derived stem cells might stimulate the repair of damaged heart tissue. Exciting early data from Patel’s lab suggests these stem cells do have cardioprotective properties—but that function is impaired in people with Type 2 diabetes, a group at especially high risk for heart complications.

“We are looking at finding the magic factor that’s cardioprotective,” says Patel. “If we can understand what factors are driving or stopping this healing response, we can use that information to develop personalized therapies to improve outcomes after heart attacks.”

Samples from local cardiac surgery patients, collected as part of Fedak’s translational research program, are being used in conjunction with animal models to test these theories. It’s an approach made possible through strong collaboration.

From seed to success

For both Patel and Fedak, this work underscores the immense value of early-stage, donor-driven funding in catalyzing discovery. The Michael and Terry Wilson Cardiovascular Research Innovation Fund was specifically created to support high-risk, high-reward ideas—projects that may not yet be ready for large-scale grant competitions but hold extraordinary potential.

“The Michael and Terry Wilson gift came at the right time,” says Fedak. “Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to generate the preliminary data that helped us secure the CIHR funding. That support was critical.”

As this groundbreaking research continues, the Libin Cardiovascular Institute remains committed to fostering innovation that can improve heart health in Calgary and beyond. And behind many of these innovations are visionary donors who believe in the science—and the people—working to push it forward.

“We’re incredibly grateful,” says Patel. 

Learn how you too can support the Libin Cardiovascular Institute here.