PERK-blocking treatments to slow or stop abdominal aortic aneurysm progression
Official title: Mechanistic and Translational Determination of PERK-targeting Strategies for Non-surgical Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11348188 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Finding out whether medicines that block a cell stress pathway called PERK can protect the aorta in people with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $676,575 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL167902-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11348188 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm or judged at high risk who might later join clinical trials of PERK-targeting treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People without an abdominal aortic aneurysm or those with very large aneurysms requiring immediate surgical repair are unlikely to benefit from these preclinical-stage approaches.
What this research studies
As someone with or at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, this work focuses on PERK, a cell stress pathway that may drive artery wall cell death and weakening. The team uses lab-grown vascular smooth muscle cells and mouse models that mimic human aneurysms to see if blocking PERK prevents cell degeneration and aneurysm growth. They are also developing a biomimetic, oxidative-stress–responsive delivery system to target PERK-blocking drugs to the diseased aorta. The aim is to translate these findings into a non-surgical medicine that could slow or reverse AAA progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce the first non-surgical therapy to slow or reverse abdominal aortic aneurysms and reduce the need for risky surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Early laboratory and mouse model results from the investigators are promising, but PERK-targeting therapies have not yet been tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guo, Lianwang — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Guo, Lianwang
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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.