Exercise-inspired tricks to protect blood vessels in heart disease
Official title: Novel mechanisms and vascular interactions mediating the cardiometabolic benefits of exercise
Funded at Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci · NIH-11402767 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at learning how exercise protects blood vessels in people with heart and artery diseases, and how to mimic those benefits with new therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $144,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM159769-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402767 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or at high risk, including those with disabilities limiting physical activity.
✕Less likely to help
People without ASCVD or vascular disease or those unable to participate in related clinical or therapeutic development may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on understanding how exercise changes the blood vessels at the molecular level to prevent atherosclerosis and related conditions. Researchers will create laboratory models that imitate how exercise affects the vessel lining and its lipid metabolism, using advanced imaging and metabolic analyses. The goal is to identify targets that could be turned into therapies for individuals who cannot exercise regularly due to disability or other barriers. By mapping how exercise keeps vessels anti-inflammatory, the work could lead to new treatments that mimic exercise’s vascular protection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with ASCVD could receive therapies that reproduce exercise’s protective effects on blood vessels.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research supports that exercise benefits vascular health, but translating this into mimicking therapies is still exploratory and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cavallero, Carmen Susana — Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
- Study coordinator: Cavallero, Carmen Susana
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.