Systems genetics of vascular smooth muscle phenotypes in heart disease
Official title: Systems Genetics of Vascular Smooth Muscle Phenotypes
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11641638 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how genetic differences influence vascular smooth muscle cells to improve prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | December 22, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $88,305 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HL166428-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11641638 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with CAD risk factors or existing CAD who might contribute DNA or cell samples through donor programs.
✕Less likely to help
People not involved in genetic or cell-based studies or without access to donor-derived samples are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project looks at how genetic variations affect human aortic smooth muscle cells from heart transplant donors to uncover why some people are more prone to coronary artery disease. Researchers study gene activity in different cell states to link genetic variants to risky cell behaviors in the vessel wall. The goal is to identify variants and mechanisms that could be targeted by future therapies to reduce arterial disease. The work uses diverse donor samples to capture genetic differences across populations and translate findings toward new treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could inform new therapies that target vessel-wall processes to prevent or treat coronary artery disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior large genetic studies have linked variants to CAD, and this project builds on that by connecting variants to gene activity in smooth muscle cells.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Civelek, Mete — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Civelek, Mete
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.