The leading cause of mortality worldwide is cardiovascular disease, of which 25% of deaths are due to abnormal, lethal heart rhythms originating from the lower heart chambers, or ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Previously damaged or scarred heart tissue give rise to channels of surviving muscle cells that form abnormal electrical circuits that drive VA. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) improve survival by delivering shocks that restore normal heart rhythm preventing sudden death. However, ICDs do not prevent VA and medications are limited by poor efficacy. This has led to a growing population of patients with recurrent VA, which paired with traumatic ICD shocks, results in decreased quality of life, increased mortality, and increased health care utilisation. Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is more effective at suppressing VA and preventing ICD shocks compared to medications. This procedure involves advancing catheters into the heart, through peripheral veins or arteries, to find surviving muscle cells within scar tissue that drive VA followed by the application of RF energy to burn and destroy these cells. There are major issues, however, in accurately locating surviving muscle cells in scar, delivering burns of sufficient depth, and adjudicating when adequate energy has been delivered to destroy these cells. As such, long term RF ablation success rates for VA remain modest, ranging from 50-70%. This project revolves around the innovation of novel technology to overcome the weaknesses of current technologies. We will develop alternative energy sources (microwave) and non-invasive methods (radiotherapy) to safely, achieve deeper ablations. We will refine a novel thermal imaging technology that allows visualisation of ablation size and allows detection of surviving muscle cells within scar which has the potential to improve the safety and efficacy of both novel and existing technologies. A bench to bedside approach will be used to determine mechanisms, efficacy and safety in animals. Our results will pave the way for first-in-human clinical trials of these technologies improving the outcomes of patients with refractory VA.
Last updated31 October 2025