CaRe-T1D
We are happy to announce that we were awarded a subcontract within the NIH U01 project named CaRe-T1D.
The immune-link between type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Finding molecular and cellular signatures.
Cardiovascular diseases are topping global charts of morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerosis is the major cause of CVD and results in arterial plaques. Among people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) the burden of disease remains significantly higher due to cardiovascular complications. This is underscores the need for innovative research to better understand and prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with T1D. Unlike type 2 diabetes (T2D), the development of CVD in T1D follows a different trajectory. Research suggests that the autoimmune response in T1D may contribute to CVD, but this area remains understudied.
In collaboration with the labs of Clint Miller, Mete Civelek, and Suna Onengut-Gumuscu we were recently awarded an U01 grant. In our proposal, we aim to better understand the molecular and cellular processes behind the increased CVD risk in T1D and compare them to T2D and non-diabetic individuals. Previous findings indicate genetic and molecular differences in atherosclerosis among diabetes patients. Our research team combines expertise in T1D, CVD genetics, single-cell technologies, and disease modeling.
• Aim 1: We will analyze differences in the immune system among individuals with T1D, T2D, and those without diabetes by studying blood proteins and immune cells.
• Aim 2: We will investigate the composition of atherosclerotic plaques in these groups, examining how cells interact and which regulatory networks are active.
• Aim 3: We will test key factors contributing to vascular changes in diabetes and identify potential targets for new treatments.
For this work we are grateful that we can tap into the rich resource of the Cardiovascular Repository for Type 1 Diabetes (CaRe-T1D). We envision that our collaborative work will provide new insights into how the immune system in T1D contributes to CVD, potentially leading to novel treatment options. To make our findings widely accessible, we will develop a user-friendly website where we will share our comprehensive -omics datasets with the scientific community, fostering further discoveries and collaboration.
We are excited to further solidify our collaborations with Clint Miller, Suna Onengut-Gumuscu and Mete Civelek at the University of Virginia (USA). Our project is complementary to Getting the Perfect Image, our proposal in collaboration with Craig Glastonbury and Clint Miller. Looking forward to the next years working with this awesome team!
