Understanding how fats in our body affect blood vessel health as we age
Sphingolipid signaling in age-associated vascular pathology
This research explores how certain natural fats in our body, called sphingolipids, help keep our blood vessels healthy and how changes in these fats might contribute to aging-related heart and blood vessel problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11092135 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As we get older, our blood vessels can become less healthy, which affects how well our organs work and our overall well-being. Our bodies have special fats, like sphingolipids, that play a role in keeping blood vessel cells strong and resilient. This project looks at how a specific protective fat signal, called S1P, might decrease with age, making blood vessels more vulnerable. We aim to understand these changes at a detailed level in different organs, hoping to find new ways to support blood vessel health as people age.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is relevant to anyone interested in understanding and preventing age-related decline in blood vessel health and associated conditions.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical intervention would not benefit from this early-stage laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that protect blood vessels from age-related decline, potentially preventing or slowing conditions like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
How similar studies have performed: Our laboratory has a long history of contributions to understanding lipid mediators in vascular function, and recent data from human studies support the premise of age-dependent changes in these protective pathways.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hla, Timothy Tun — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hla, Timothy Tun
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.