Understanding cholesterol, inflammation, and heart disease
Cholesterol efflux, CHIP and inflammasome activation
This work explores how cholesterol and inflammation contribute to heart disease, looking for new ways to protect your heart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11084424 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Heart disease remains a major health concern, even with current treatments that lower bad cholesterol. This project aims to understand why some people still develop heart disease by focusing on the connection between cholesterol and inflammation. Researchers are looking at how cholesterol leaves cells and how certain inflammatory responses, like the NLRP3 inflammasome, are triggered. By understanding these processes, we hope to find new targets for medicines that can reduce inflammation and prevent heart disease without the side effects seen in some current anti-inflammatory therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit individuals at risk for or living with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Not a fit: Patients not at risk for or living with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease would likely not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and safer treatments for heart disease by targeting specific inflammatory pathways linked to cholesterol.
How similar studies have performed: Previous anti-inflammatory therapies have shown some benefit in heart disease but were limited by infectious complications, highlighting the need for more targeted approaches like those explored here.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tall, Alan Richard — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Tall, Alan Richard
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.