What causes calcium buildup in blood vessels and heart valves
Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Vascular Calcification
This project looks at the cell-level and molecular reasons calcium builds up in blood vessels and heart valves, focusing on people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11253306 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are taking a human-first approach by studying tissue and clinical samples from people alongside lab experiments in cells and animal models to learn how calcification starts and progresses. They will identify which cell types and signaling pathways drive calcium deposition in vessels and valves. By comparing samples from people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease to others, the team aims to find biomarkers and specific targets that could be reached by future therapies. Although most work is lab-based, the focus on human samples is intended to make findings relevant to clinical care and future trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with chronic kidney disease or diabetes who have, or are at high risk for, vascular or valve calcification and who can provide clinical samples or take part in related clinical studies.
Not a fit: People without vascular or valve disease or with unrelated conditions are unlikely to see direct benefit from this mechanistic research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biomarkers and drug targets that lead to treatments that prevent or slow blood vessel and valve calcification.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have identified key genetic pathways and cell types involved in calcification, but no approved drugs yet directly prevent or reverse vascular calcification, so this work builds on promising yet untransformed findings.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Giachelli, Cecilia M — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Giachelli, Cecilia M
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.