The role of cell death in diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease

Published 8 December 2022

WCMM researcher Andreas Edsfeldt has been awarded the SSMF consolatory grant, a five-year grant that gives prominent researchers the opportunity to strengthen their position as independent researchers, for his research on the role of cell death in diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) is rapidly increasing worldwide, and people with T2D have a clearly increased risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes as a result of advanced atherosclerosis. But the cause is still unknown. Discovering new treatment methods for patients with T2D is thus one of the greatest challenges of medical research. Andreas Edsfeldt’s research shows that a reduced ability to repair the vessel wall may be the explanation.

Using new techniques, Andreas Edsfeldt aims to map the mechanisms that underly a disturbed tissue repair and how this affects the risk of suffering complications as a result of arteriosclerosis. He will investigate differences in the repair of the vessel wall and how the repair is affected by cell death in T2D. With unique methods applied to human atherosclerosis plaques from one of the world's largest biobanks, Andreas Edsfeldt aims to create a unique atlas of cell populations and cell functions.

In addition, he and his research team will study blood markers and ultrasound of the vessel wall to find new ways to identify individuals in need of medical care to prevent cardiovascular complications. By understanding the biological differences that underlie the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in T2D, they intend to find new therapeutic targets. It will also help to find markers that can specifically identify individuals at high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke with the goal of optimizing primary prophylactic treatment and preventing cardiovascular disease.