The American Heart Association (AHA) announced today the establishment of its first-ever heart transplant research network, a bold initiative to overhaul how heart transplant care is delivered across the United States. The network includes 14 medical research centers and a coordinating center, bringing together scientists to create a national infrastructure for data, research, and quality care. The goal is to address persistent gaps in innovation, equity, and patient outcomes that have plagued the field for decades.
According to the AHA's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 4,500 heart transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2025—the highest number ever—yet more than 3,700 people remained on the waiting list. Despite advances in cardiovascular medicine, the system supporting heart transplantation has remained largely unchanged. "Transplant recipients still face serious challenges, including difficulty detecting heart rejection early, reliance on immunosuppressive therapies that have seen little advancement over the past 20 years, and inconsistent outcomes, especially among Black patients and children," said Dr. Mariell Jessup, the AHA's chief science and medical officer.
The initiative will focus on three pillars: a global heart transplant data infrastructure, a research network for breakthrough science, and a coordinated path forward modeled after the AHA's Get With The Guidelines program. The data infrastructure, developed in collaboration with leading transplant organizations, will be a dynamic platform enabling real-time insights. The research network will prioritize earlier detection of rejection, remote monitoring technologies, viral surveillance, and safer therapies. Planning grants will accelerate clinical trials on immune tolerance and chronic rejection.
The four-year research grants begin July 1, 2026. The coordinating center is led by Dr. Emilia Bagiella at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Other centers include Baylor College of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Columbia University, Duke University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Medical University of South Carolina, Stanford University, University of California San Diego, University of Colorado Denver, University of Pennsylvania, University of Utah, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
"By bringing together this exceptional data, research and clinical expertise, the Heart Association can help accelerate discoveries and translate them into better care for every patient, no matter who they are or where they live," Jessup said. The AHA has funded more than $6.1 billion in cardiovascular research since 1949, making it the largest non-profit supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S. A recent Annenberg Policy Center poll found that 82% of U.S. adults trust the AHA for public health information.
