"Kentucky researcher unravels 60-year heart mystery with 3D heart filaments"
A Kentucky researcher, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, has solved a 60-year mystery of how the heart functions by determining the molecular structure of cardiac thick filaments. Using 3D pictures generated from donated heart samples, the team discovered the intricate arrangement of approximately 2,000 molecules within each filament. This breakthrough provides new insights into controlling the heart muscle and designing better therapies for heart disease, which is a significant concern in Kentucky, one of the states with the highest death rates from the disease. The research was published in Nature.