Nathan Stitziel, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and genetics at WashU Medicine, has received $1.9 million over five years from the Leducq Foundation as part of an international Network of Excellence award to identify genetic pathways that drive atherosclerosis and uncover new strategies to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
The Leducq Foundation has awarded Nathan Stitziel, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and genetics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, $1.9 million over five years as part of a $9.5 million international Network of Excellence grant. The ATHENA (Atherosclerosis Targets from Human gEnetics and functional genomic Approaches) network brings together investigators from WashU Medicine, Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Helsinki and the Karolinska Institute to identify new therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis, an artery-clogging disease that is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Stitziel, director of Translational Cardiovascular Genetics and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Genetics, is one of five principal investigators leading the international collaboration. The project will combine large-scale genetic studies, advanced genomics technologies and experimental mapping models to determine which genes and biological pathways directly contribute to atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerotic vascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Although existing therapies can reduce some cardiovascular risk, researchers estimate that much of the remaining risk is linked to genetic factors and disease pathways that are not yet fully understood. ATHENA aims to bridge that gap by identifying the genes that drive plaque buildup in arteries and validating them as potential drug targets. The network also seeks to develop improved tools to predict who is most at risk for heart attack and stroke.
As part of the project, Stitziel and colleagues will analyze large genetic datasets, including biobanks containing genomic and health information from hundreds of thousands of participants, and integrate those findings with studies of human artery tissues and novel models, including using CRISPR technology to turn isolated genes on and off. By moving from genetic discoveries to biological mechanisms, the researchers hope to create a prioritized list of therapeutic targets that could ultimately lead to more effective treatments and prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease.