Two Researchers Awarded $1 Million Each to Explore Diabetes-Cardiovascular Disease Connection

The American Heart Association has awarded two researchers $1 million each to explore intricate connections between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Dr. Elizabeth Selvin from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will conduct innovative research aimed at understanding how diabetes impacts overall health.

Schmidt's research will focus on white blood cells and their role in diabetic complications. Her team will investigate a protein molecule called the 'receptor for advanced glycation end products' (RAGE), which may explain how diabetic white blood cells damage the body. By studying mouse and human white blood cells, the researchers hope to develop potential new treatment therapies that could mitigate diabetes-related health risks.

Selvin will concentrate on improving cardiovascular health in diabetes patients, building upon her previous groundbreaking work establishing scientific criteria for diabetes diagnosis using hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Her current research will examine wearable continuous glucose monitors and their associations with cardiometabolic risk in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients.

These Merit Awards represent a significant investment in understanding the complex relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As diabetes prevalence continues to rise globally, this research could provide critical insights into prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies that might ultimately save lives and improve patient outcomes.

The American Heart Association, which has funded over $5.9 billion in scientific research since 1949, remains committed to supporting innovative medical research that addresses crucial health challenges.