HeartWorks builds, tests, and delivers new therapies to cure congenital heart defects giving these families the opportunity to live full, enriching lives.
HeartWorks relies on our community to help fund the research and clinical trials that hope to find cures for congenital heart defects (CHD). Discover ways that you can help.
HeartWorks is proud to share an important milestone: 100 adults living with congenital heart disease (CHD) have now enrolled in our Clinical Readiness Skin Punch Biopsy Sample Collection study.
This milestone represents more than participation. It represents trust, leadership, and a commitment from the CHD community to move research forward.
For too long, congenital heart disease has been viewed primarily as a childhood condition. But CHD is lifelong, and many adults continue to navigate complex health challenges as they age.
The 100 individuals who stepped forward for this study did so not just for the next generation – but for themselves and the broader adult CHD community.
They are helping build the future of regenerative approaches for CHD.
From Skin to Heart: How the Research Works
Participants in the study donate a small skin sample through a minimally invasive biopsy.
Behind the scenes, these skin cells undergo a carefully controlled laboratory process:
Cell Isolation and Expansion – Skin cells are processed and grown under specialized laboratory conditions.
Reprogramming – The cells are transformed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), returning them to a stem-like state.
Cardiac Differentiation – These stem cells are then guided to develop into heart muscle cells.
This “skin-to-heart” process allows researchers to study patient-specific heart cells and explore regenerative approaches that may one day support new treatment strategies for people living with CHD.
The process takes many months of continuous lab work, and with 100 participants enrolled, the scale of this effort is significant. Our team is strategically advancing each sample through the manufacturing process to ensure quality and consistency.
A Message for Our Participants
If you participated in the Clinical Readiness Skin Punch Biopsy Sample Collection, we have three important messages for you.
Thank You
Your participation makes you a true pioneer in advancing the future of regenerative approaches for CHD.
Your contribution is helping lay the groundwork for personalized, stem cell–based research that may one day support new treatment options for heart warriors.
We are deeply grateful for your trust and willingness to move science forward.
Please Stay Connected
Participation in this study does not guarantee eligibility for future treatment studies.
Any potential future treatment opportunity will depend on many factors, including:
Specific study inclusion criteria
Methods of delivery being evaluated
The phase of a particular clinical trial
Staying connected allows us to share updates about ongoing research and ensures you have the information needed should future opportunities arise.
You’re Invited to Stay Informed
To help us keep communication open, we invite participants to meet with Tim Nelson and/or consider joining The Co-op @ HeartWorks.
The Co-Op is an IRB-approved research registry designed to support communication with the CHD community while gathering insights that may help identify possible participation in future research studies.
By connecting patient experiences with biological samples, the Co-Op helps researchers better understand the needs of the CHD community and informs future clinical research efforts.
The progress being made today would not be possible without the adults with CHD who chose to participate in this study.
Your leadership is helping build the infrastructure needed to explore new scientific approaches and deepen our understanding of congenital heart disease.
We are grateful to the first 100 participants who stepped forward.
