Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a K08 Career Development Grant totaling $163,285 to The Regents of The University of Colorado (University of Colorado-Denver) effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The award supports the principal investigator's development as an independent physician-scientist conducting research to define shared molecular mechanisms connecting cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. The project integrates complementary animal modeling, molecular, and computational approaches to investigate how colon cancer mediates arterial remodeling through vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic changes via platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-B) signaling, with the ultimate goal of translating findings into novel therapeutic interventions addressing the bidirectional disease cross-communication between CVD and cancer.

Deliverables under this award include mechanistic research outputs, peer-reviewed publications, and career training milestones. The principal investigator will receive structured mentorship from Dr. Timothy McKinsey (primary mentor) and co-mentors with expertise in vascular smooth muscle cell biology, cardio-oncology, cancer-vascular crosstalk, and translational science. Training is supplemented by didactic coursework at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The University of Colorado-Denver provides protected time, start-up funding, and institutional research infrastructure to support project execution and the investigator's transition to an independent research career.