Pacemaker Researchers Swap Batteries for Biology
7:39 minutes
What if instead of implanting an electronic pacemaker in your chest, scientists could reprogram a tiny portion of your heart cells to beat better? That’s what researchers at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have managed to do in six pigs with complete heart blocks, reporting the findings in Science Translational Medicine. Study author Eduardo Marbán discusses whether this treatment could be a long-term replacement for the traditional battery pack pacemaker.
Segment Guests
Eduardo Marbán
Eduardo Marbán is director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, California.
Meet the Producer
About Becky Fogel
@beckyfogelBecky Fogel is a newscast host and producer at Texas Standard, a daily news show broadcast by KUT in Austin, Texas. She was formerly Science Friday’s production assistant.