An accomplished cardiologist, Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan has been granted National Institutes of Health funding to undertake basic research in understudied areas of human heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmia). Technology focused, Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan was successful in developing a pioneering system that addressed patient atrial-fibrillation-care needs.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent type of arrhythmia. Its treatment focuses on restoring the normal rhythm of the heart, and encompasses anticoagulant drugs that not all patients respond to as well as electric shocks that require patient hospitalization.
A recent study at the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands examined the potential use of genetically modified cells in enabling the heart to terminate AF on its own.
Employing a gene painting process, the right atrium of hearts in adult rats were genetically modified such that they expressed light-sensitive ion channels. Shining a light on the atrium for one second resulted in an opening of these light-sensitive ion channels in rats with induced atrial fibrillation. This resulted in a restoration of normal heart rhythm and termination of the atrial fibrillation.
As described by the researchers, this technique has the potential to be used for atrial fibrillation patients, in tandem with an implantable LED device, such that the heart’s normal rhythm could be maintained in a continuous and pain-free manner.
