Fatty clues in leg arteries: how fat burning in mitochondria affects PAD and muscle health
Official title: Fatty Acid Oxidation and Myosteatosis in Peripheral Artery Disease
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11447448 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how fat metabolism in leg muscles relates to weakness and tissue damage in people with peripheral artery disease and aims to find new ways to help them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $765,811 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL183201-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447448 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with peripheral artery disease, including those at risk for chronic limb threatening ischemia, who could contribute tissue samples or participate in related clinical assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PAD or CLTI or those not contributing to tissue or data analyses may not benefit.
What this research studies
People with PAD often have weakened leg muscles and poor blood flow, especially when it progresses to CLTI. The team will study how fatty acids are processed in the mitochondria of limb muscles and whether impaired fat oxidation contributes to fat deposits in the muscle and worse limb outcomes. Using a combination of lab studies on tissue and a clinically relevant hindlimb ischemia model, they will examine how fatty acids move across mitochondrial membranes to fuel energy in diseased muscle. They aim to identify potential targets for therapies that could improve muscle strength and blood flow without needing surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new metabolic targets to improve muscle function and limb perfusion in PAD, potentially offering non-surgical treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows links between altered muscle metabolism and limb ischemia, but this study explores a specific fatty acid oxidation mechanism as a therapeutic target.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcclung, Joseph Matthew — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mcclung, Joseph Matthew
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Low-dose colchicine to reduce vascular risk in people with peripheral artery disease
This project tests whether taking a low-dose anti-inflammatory drug (colchicine) daily can lower heart and limb-related risks for adults with peripheral artery disease.
-
Gamified home walking program to help seniors with peripheral artery disease improve walking and quality of life
A program uses game elements on wearable devices to help people 65+ with peripheral artery disease walk more at home and feel better.
-
Enhancing muscle energy to help leg function in PAD
A study to boost how muscle mitochondria work in people with peripheral artery disease to improve walking and leg function.
-
Low-dose colchicine for people with peripheral artery disease to reduce heart and limb risks
A large international study will test whether a low daily dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb complications for people with peripheral artery disease.
-
Low-dose colchicine for reducing vascular risk in people with PAD
A large international study will test whether a daily low dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb-related risks for people with peripheral artery disease.
-
IMProving mobility After revasCularizaTion in Peripheral Artery Disease
This study tests whether home-based exercise plus a nitrate supplement can help people with leg artery disease walk farther after a vascular procedure.
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.