How changes in blood sugars and fats affect the cells of your blood vessels
Metabolic interactions in the vascular wall: an integrated experimental and computational approach
This project looks at how common shifts in blood sugar and blood fats change the behavior of the cells that line and support blood vessels, which matters for people with metabolic syndrome and heart disease risks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311902 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team will grow the two main types of blood vessel cells—endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells—and track how they use nutrients when exposed to altered blood metabolites. They will feed labeled molecules and use mass spectrometry to measure how those labels move through cell metabolism. A computer model called isotope-assisted metabolic flux analysis (iMFA) will combine the lab measurements to estimate metabolic flows and transport between the cell types. The model will be used to generate new ideas about how metabolic changes or treatments might harm or protect blood vessels.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with metabolic syndrome, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or other cardiovascular risk factors would be the most relevant population for the findings and for any future patient-facing studies that build on this work.
Not a fit: People without metabolic abnormalities or vascular disease are unlikely to see direct benefit from this laboratory and computational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to better ways to treat or prevent blood vessel damage in people with metabolic syndrome, possibly reducing heart disease risk or simplifying medication strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Metabolic flux analysis and mass spectrometry have been useful in studying cell metabolism, but applying integrated iMFA to interactions between endothelial and smooth muscle cells is a more novel approach.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Morss Clyne, Alisa S — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Morss Clyne, Alisa S
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 below.