The American Heart Association has awarded $15 million to three research centers to establish a Strategically Focused Research Network on Earlier Detection and Delaying Progression of Valvular Heart Disease. The initiative, which began April 1, 2026, brings together teams from Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Center, and the University of Pittsburgh to address the growing burden of heart valve disease.
According to the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, more than 80 million people worldwide live with heart valve disease, and the numbers are rising. In the U.S., the condition causes over 57,000 deaths each year. Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart's four valves become narrowed or leaky, leading to reduced blood flow and potentially heart failure, arrhythmia, and early death. Because it often progresses silently, many people are unaware they have it until severe damage occurs.
"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. "This new research network is an exciting way to extend our impact even earlier by supporting innovative, cutting-edge scientific exploration." The Association has identified heart valve disease as a key focus area through its Heart Valve Initiative and Target: Aortic Stenosis quality improvement program.
The Mass General Brigham VALVE-iPROTECT Center, led by Elena Aikawa, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, will focus on calcific aortic stenosis (AS), a common valve disease where the aortic valve stiffens and narrows. Currently, no medication can stop or slow AS, and patients often wait years for valve replacement. The center will study early molecular changes, use advanced imaging to track active disease, and develop clinical calculators to identify at-risk individuals before major valve damage occurs.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital SHIELD Center, led by Andrea Beaton, M.D., M.S., FAHA, targets rheumatic heart disease (RHD), the leading cause of valve disease in children and young adults, affecting at least 55 million people worldwide. 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 prevention in low-income settings.
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 lipoprotein(a), inflammation, and biomechanical forces interact to cause aortic stenosis. The team aims to identify high-risk individuals using biomarkers and machine learning, and develop treatments that block early calcification processes.
This network is the 19th Strategically Focused Research Network funded by the American Heart Association, which has invested nearly $300 million in such initiatives. Since 1949, the Association has funded over $6.1 billion in cardiovascular research, making it the largest non-profit supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S.
