Jianli Zhao, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been awarded $30,000 in pilot funding to further develop a research project focused on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in patients with obesity.

The award comes from the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) and the Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center (CCVC) through their joint Pilot and Feasibility Program. Zhao’s pre-proposal, titled “Targeting Key Contributors in the Management of Obesity-Related Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction,” was selected for full development following review by the NORC Executive Committee.

HFpEF is a complex and increasingly common form of heart failure that is difficult to treat, especially in individuals with obesity. Zhao’s project aims to identify and target the molecular mechanisms driving this condition, with the goal of developing more effective therapies.

“I am deeply honored to receive this support from the Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center,” Zhao said. “This funding will allow our team to rigorously investigate the molecular drivers of obesity‐related HFpEF and advance novel therapeutic strategies that target those key contributors. We look forward to translating these insights into interventions that may improve cardiac function and quality of life for patients living with this challenging condition.”

The pilot award period runs from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026.