Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a Project Grant totaling $1.15M to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (Health Sciences Division) on March 9, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The grant supports a comprehensive, long-term research program investigating macrophage biology in atherosclerosis and its intersection with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The research will address critical gaps in understanding atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through mechanistic studies in human macrophages, causation studies in genetically altered mice, and advanced analytical approaches including single-cell RNA-sequencing and cell-tracing studies to elucidate the relationship between macrophage efferocytosis-resolution cycles and fibrous cap formation in atherosclerotic plaques.

The research program will deliver investigation outcomes on upstream signaling pathways in macrophage resolution, crosstalk between macrophages and adaptive immune cells, cellular stress protection mechanisms, and shared therapeutic targets between atherosclerosis and MASH with liver fibrosis. The project is scheduled for completion on February 28, 2033, with performance conducted at Columbia University's facilities in New York, NY. The research outputs will contribute to advancing prevention and treatment strategies for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases through both hypothesis-driven and unbiased omics-based approaches aligned with the NHLBI's mission to promote heart, lung, and blood disease research.