# Molecular Drivers of Atherosclerosis in Diabetes

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2024 · $962,975

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The mortality rate among individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains significantly elevated due to
cardiovascular complications, highlighting a critical need for innovative research focused on understanding and
mitigating cardiovascular disease (CVD) in this population. Unlike type 2 diabetes (T2D), T1D presents a
unique trajectory of CVD progression, with persistently elevated risk factors that are not fully explained by
conventional cardiovascular risk assessments. Emerging evidence suggests that T1D's autoimmune nature
may contribute to CVD through inflammatory pathways, yet this area remains underexplored. This grant
proposal aims to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the increased CVD risk in T1D
compared to T2D and non-diabetic individuals. Leveraging an interdisciplinary team with a strong track record
of collaboration and expertise in T1D, CVD genetics, single-cell technologies, and disease modeling, we
propose a comprehensive study that builds on preliminary findings indicating distinct genetic and molecular
drivers of atherosclerosis in diabetic patients. In aim 1 of this proposal, we will delineate the differential
immune profiles in T1D, T2D, and non-diabetic individuals by analyzing serum proteins and immune cell
characteristics. In aim 2, we will identify cellular and molecular differences in atherosclerotic plaques across
these groups, focusing on variations in plaque composition, cell-cell communication, and regulatory networks.
And in aim 3, we will validate the key regulators of atherosclerosis-relevant phenotypic changes in diabetic
states through functional experiments. The outcomes of this study are expected to provide unprecedented
insights into the immune-mediated mechanisms of CVD in T1D, leading to the identification of novel molecular
targets for therapeutic intervention. To maximize the impact of our findings, we will create a user-friendly
website to share our comprehensive -omics datasets with the broader research community, fostering further
discovery and collaboration.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11073485
- **Project number:** 1U01DK142283-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Mete Civelek
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $962,975
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-18 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11073485

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11073485, Molecular Drivers of Atherosclerosis in Diabetes (1U01DK142283-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11073485. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*