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Hadi Nia, Ph.D. wanted to learn about the inner workings of the lung in a way nobody had, but he knew he’d need something close to a crystal ball to see what was really happening. That idea, it turns out, wasn’t exactly far-fetched. Nia, an assistant professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Boston University, already knew a thing or...

Could we grow a human heart in a dish? It’s not that far-fetched. But before we go there, imagine looking at a blob the size of a sesame seed, rhythmically beating, and knowing it has the potential to unlock key mysteries surrounding the human heart. Scientists are now tapping into new stem cell-based technologies to grow highly complex 3D balls of...

Each November, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) observes National COPD Awareness Month and World COPD Day. Short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD is a serious lung disease that makes it harder to breathe and worsens over time. Of the nearly 16 million Americans who have been diagnosed with COPD, nearly 4 million...

In the United States and in many parts of the world, a strep throat infection can be treated early with penicillin and poses minimal health threats. However, for people living in areas with limited access to health care, an untreated infection can introduce serious health consequences. This includes developing into rheumatic heart disease, a...

What if you could design a small piece of electronics that is both flexible and stretchable, is able to take high-resolution images of the electrical signals inside the heart, and cure a cardiac condition that impacts more than 35 million people worldwide? It may sound futuristic, but that’s exactly what NHLBI-funded researchers from Cornell are...

It’s the cholesterol we love to love – and for good reason. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often called “good cholesterol,” removes extra cholesterol from the arteries by gobbling up early-forming plaque and transporting it to the liver, which flushes it out of the body. It’s an essential job: when too much plaque accumulates in the...

The exact reasons are unclear; biological and social factors under study The recent sudden cardiac arrests of college basketball player Bronny James and professional football player Damar Hamlin did more than shock the sports world and the nation. They brought attention to a disturbing, but little-known, fact: Sudden cardiac arrest is the number...

Wemi Found, a mother of two who has sickle cell disease (SCD), barely survived her first pregnancy. The Toronto resident was elated to be pregnant; it had taken nearly a year to conceive during which she also experienced a devastating miscarriage. The first trimester of her pregnancy was a breeze, Found recalled during a recent NHLBI-funded...

Rapidly emerging field might help fight heart disease, other conditions Most people have engaged in late-night eating at some point — whether it’s with ice cream before bedtime or pizza while studying for an exam. But if you think those late-night indulgences are just an innocent way to curb your pesky, post-dinner hunger pangs, think again. For...

Obstructive sleep apnea affects millions of adults worldwide, including more than 24 million in the United States. However, most cases, 90%, remain undiagnosed. The condition results from the upper airways becoming blocked while a person sleeps, which can reduce or stop airflow. As a result, people with obstructed airways can wake up multiple times...