Understanding why some artery plaques become dangerous using genetics, tissue maps, and advanced imaging
Official title: Integration of spatial transcriptomics, genetics, and histomorphology for causal inference in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11383446 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will combine human genetic data with single-cell and spatial tissue maps to find why certain atherosclerotic plaques are more likely to cause heart events, aiming to improve prediction and prevention.
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 start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $646,804 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171595-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383446 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with atherosclerotic disease who have tissue samples or imaging data from carotid, coronary, or peripheral arteries and a history of unstable or stable plaques.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or those without advanced atherosclerosis are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses human tissue samples from people with atherosclerosis and applies advanced machine learning to high-resolution histology and spatial transcriptomics. By comparing unstable versus stable plaques in carotid, coronary, and peripheral arteries, it looks for new features in tissue structure and gene activity that signal risk. The team will integrate histology, cell-level data, and spatial gene patterns to uncover mechanisms of plaque vulnerability that current methods may miss. Findings could guide better risk stratification and future therapies tailored to the biology of plaque instability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may benefit from improved risk prediction and personalized strategies to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest ML can reveal novel tissue features linked to plaque instability in human lesions and animal models.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reilly, Muredach P — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Reilly, Muredach P
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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.