Nathan Stitziel, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the WashU Medicine Cardiovascular Division, has received a $1.9 million grant from the Leducq Foundation as part of a $9.5 million international Network of Excellence award. The goal of the network is to identify new therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis, an artery-clogging disease that is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Stitziel and the other principal investigators will combine large-scale genetic studies, advanced genomics and experimental models to pinpoint genes and pathways that contribute to plaque buildup in arteries. By linking genetic discoveries to biological mechanisms, the researchers aim to improve risk prediction and develop better treatments and prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease.
