The American Heart Association has announced a new $15 million research initiative focused on earlier detection and slowing the progression of valvular heart disease. The Strategically Focused Research Network on Earlier Detection and Delaying Progression of Valvular Heart Disease will fund three research centers over four years, led by teams from Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Center, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Heart valve disease affects more than 80 million people globally, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, and contributes to over 57,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The condition occurs when one or more of the heart's four valves narrow or fail to close properly, leading to reduced blood flow or backward leakage. Left untreated, it can result in heart failure, arrhythmia, and early death. Often progressing silently, many individuals are unaware they have the disease until symptoms become severe.
“The prevalence of heart valve disease is increasing, but it rarely makes headlines and often shows no early warning signs,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. “By the time symptoms appear, damage may already be done - making early detection and treatment essential.”
The Mass General Brigham VALVE-iPROTECT Center, led by Elena Aikawa, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, will focus on calcific aortic stenosis (AS). The center aims to identify early molecular changes, use advanced imaging to track active disease, and develop clinical calculators to detect risk before major valve damage occurs. Researchers will study how cholesterol-related inflammation and lipoprotein(a) drive valve calcification.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital SHIELD Center, led by Andrea Beaton, M.D., M.S., FAHA, will address rheumatic heart disease (RHD), the leading cause of heart valve disease in children and young adults. The center will test AI-supported heart screening, digital patient registries, and community-based support systems in Brazil, Timor-Leste, and Uganda to improve early detection and ongoing care.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Center For Aortic Valve Disease Prediction And Integrated Research, led by Cynthia St. Hilaire, Ph.D., FAHA, will investigate how risk factors like Lp(a), inflammation, and biomechanical stress interact to cause aortic stenosis. The team will build realistic lab systems to study disease progression and develop treatments to block calcification processes.
This network is part of the American Heart Association’s broader Heart Valve Initiative and Target: Aortic Stenosis™ quality improvement program. The Association has invested nearly $300 million in 19 Strategically Focused Research Networks since the program's inception, funding over $6.1 billion in cardiovascular research since 1949.
