How cholesterol-related molecules drive inflammation in heart and metabolic disease
Official title: Sterol regulation of immunometabolic responses in cardiometabolic diseases
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11247058 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try changing a cholesterol-making enzyme in immune and liver cells to reduce artery-clogging inflammation in people with atherosclerosis and other cardiometabolic conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $771,521 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL177553-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247058 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, or metabolic syndrome would be most relevant to this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are unrelated to cholesterol-driven inflammation or who have non-atherosclerotic heart disease may not benefit from these approaches.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are studying how certain cholesterol byproducts shape immune cells that drive artery plaque and inflammation. They will use lab-grown cells and animal models to remove or block an enzyme called DHCR24 in macrophages (immune cells) and liver cells, and also test drug-like inhibitors. The team will measure plaque size, inflammatory signals, and the activity of a cholesterol-sensing receptor called LXR to see if lowering specific cholesterol intermediates eases disease. Results will guide whether targeting this pathway could become a new way to treat atherosclerosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that reduce artery plaque and inflammation and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory and animal studies have shown cholesterol intermediates and DHCR24 affect macrophage inflammation and plaque formation, so this builds on promising preclinical work though it has not yet been proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fernandez Hernando, Carlos — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Fernandez Hernando, Carlos
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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.