General Research Description

We have shown, using a mouse model of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis (Renard et al. 2004; Johansson et al. 2008) that type 1 diabetes stimulates both initiation of lesions of atherosclerosis and progression to advanced lesions.  Our working hypothesis is that diabetes stimulates lesion initiation and progression by increasing macrophage recruitment and arterial inflammation.  

Our work is, or has been, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National  Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, Seattle Foundation, the Royalty Research Fund at the University of Washington, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 

Current and Recent Members of the Bornfeldt Lab.

	Karin Bornfeldt, PhD Professor Research Interests:   Cellular and molecular mechanisms of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.  People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications caused by atherosclerosis, such as myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.  We use animal models and isolated vascular cells to investigate the processes that mediate diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.  Projects range from in vivo studies to intracellular transduction studies.  For specific examples of the types of projects we work on, please see the descriptions of student research below.  Click here for publication list.
	Michelle Averill, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Research interests:  The role of inflammation and S100 proteins in diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.
	Shelley Barnhart, BS Research Scientist 1 Research interests:  Molecular biology, macrophage function, S100 proteins.
	Deidre Golej, PhD Graduate Student (Molecular and Cellular Biology Program), who graduated in August of 2009.  She is now continuing her studies, in the School of Pharmacy. Research Interests:  The role of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases in  smooth muscle cells.  Techniques include overexpression of enzymes using retroviral vectors, siRNA, real-time qPCR, HPLC, lipid metabolism analyses, and functional studies of human arterial smooth muscle cells.
	Jenny Kanter, PhC Graduate Student (Pathology Program) Research Interests:  Effects of long-chain fatty acids and diabetes on primary mouse peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages and atherosclerosis.  Techniques include isolation of primary macrophages, overexpression of enzymes using retroviral constructs, Cre-Lox mouse models, lipid metabolism analyses, visualization of lipid droplets in single cells, and proteomics.  Recent publications: Kanter et al. 2007; Kanter et al. 2008.
	Farah Kramer, BS Research Scientist 2, Lab Manager Research Interests:  Developing and maintaining transgenic mouse models of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis, immunohistological evaluation of atherosclerotic lesions.  Example of recent publication: MacDougall, Kramer et al. 2006.
	Xin Li, PhC Graduate Student (Pathology Program) Research Interests:  Effects of long-chain fatty acids and diabetes on endothelial cells.  Techniques include isolation of primary mouse endothelial cells, overexpression of enzymes using retroviral constructs, Cre-Lox mouse models, investigation of ER stress responses by real-time PCR, and lipid metabolism analyses.
	Tomohiro Nishizawa, PhD Visiting Scientist from Daiichi-Sankyo Co., Japan Research Interests:  Effects of glucose in macrophages and atherosclerosis.
	Xia (Clare) Shen, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory 2005-2009 Research Interests:  Effects induced in human endothelial cells by increased acyl-CoA synthesis.  Techniques include real-time qPCR, overexpression of enzymes using retroviral constructs, analysis of inflammatory mediators by FACS, cDNA arrays, and lipid metabolism studies. Recent publications: Shen & Bornfeldt 2007.
	Ricky Rualo, BS Assistant Research Scientist Research Interests:  Mouse colony management, genotyping and various projects in the lab.
	Katya Rubinow, MD Senior Fellow in Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition Research Interests:  Mass spectrometric analysis of macrophage populations, effects of acyl-CoA synthetase-deficiency.