Predicting heart and blood vessel disease risk in type 2 diabetes using immune-cell computer tools
Official title: ASCVD risk assessment in T2DM facilitated by novel computational immunology programs
Funded at University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt · NIH-11258020 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses new computer tools to read immune cell behavior and predict heart and blood vessel disease risk in people with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Farmington, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $523,177 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL172239-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258020 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes who are willing to provide blood samples or share medical records for research would be the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without type 2 diabetes, or those with already advanced cardiovascular disease, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this risk-prediction work.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers will study circulating immune cells, especially monocytes, to see how they become cholesterol-filled 'foam' cells that harm arteries. They will apply newly developed computational immunology and cell-function annotation tools to patterns in blood samples and patient data. The team will combine lab analyses and existing clinical information to build prediction models tailored for people with type 2 diabetes. The goal is to find immune-cell signatures that signal higher ASCVD risk and point to ways to prevent it.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve how we predict and prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Existing ASCVD risk models have done poorly in type 2 diabetes, and using computational immune-cell profiling is a newer approach with limited prior clinical validation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
Farmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Beiyan — University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Beiyan
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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.