Research Supervisor:
Dr. Hema Viswambharan; University of Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM) & Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health, and Therapeutics (LIGHT) Labs.
Project:
Discovery of a New Molecular Pathway Driving Cell-Type Specific Cardiovascular Complications in Insulin Resistance.
Background:
Type 2 diabetes is a growing global health challenge, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide and significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. A major driver of these complications is insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin signaling, disrupting glucose regulation and damaging vascular function over time. While much research has focused on systemic metabolic dysfunction, less is understood about how communication between different cell types within adipose tissue contributes to cardiovascular complications in diabetes.
This project builds on the research of Dr Hema Viswambharan at the University of Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM), whose work investigates endothelial dysfunction, vascular biology, and the molecular mechanisms linking insulin resistance to cardiovascular disease. In particular, this project will explore how endothelial cells and adipocytes interact within the microvasculature of adipose tissue and how these signaling pathways may drive cell-type specific injury in diabetes. The project aims to identify mechanisms through which altered intercellular communication contributes to endothelial dysfunction and broader cardiometabolic complications.
Understanding these molecular interactions is essential for identifying new therapeutic targets that could improve the prevention and treatment of diabetes-related cardiovascular disease.
Objectives:
- Investigate signaling interactions between microvascular endothelial cells and adipocytes under insulin-resistant conditions.
- Examine molecular pathways associated with vascular dysfunction and inflammation.
- Generate and analyze experimental data to better understand mechanisms driving cardiovascular complications in diabetes.
- Explore intercellular signaling mechanisms associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications as potential therapeutic targets.
Impact:
Cardiovascular complications remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes. By improving understanding of the molecular pathways that link insulin resistance to vascular dysfunction, this research could contribute to the identification of new therapeutic strategies and early stage prevention for cardiometabolic disease.
Motivation:
My motivation for pursuing this project is deeply personal as well as academic. As an Arab individual, I am familiar with how prominently type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) plague the MENA region. The high prevalence of insulin resistance-related complications has highlighted the urgent need for deeper mechanistic understanding and more effective therapeutic strategies. I am passionate about contributing to the expansion of scientific knowledge in this field, with the hope that research into the molecular pathways underlying cardiovascular complications can ultimately help inform global health policies, improve patient care, and reduce the burden of chronic disease worldwide.