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Virginia Tech Scientist Awarded American Heart Association Fellowship to Investigate Obesity’s Impact on Heart Disease Risk
- Mark Renton, a postdoctoral researcher at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, received an American Heart Association fellowship to investigate coronary microvascular dysfunction and its molecular connection to obesity.
- His research focuses on understanding how obesity alters vascular function at the microvascular level, particularly examining the role of pannexin-1 protein in coronary microvessels.
- Coronary microvascular dysfunction plays a crucial role in heart disease, where impaired blood flow within small heart vessels contributes to conditions like chest pain and ischemia.
- Pannexin-1 channels are key to regulating vascular responses and signaling, and Renton's project explores how obesity-induced metabolic disturbances may impact these channels and lead to vascular dysfunction.
- The research investigates ion flux, cellular signaling, and pannexin-1's influence on neighboring cells, aiming to understand how obesity could disrupt these processes and lead to compromised vascular reactivity.
- Understanding the impact of obesity on pannexin-1 function in coronary microvessels could offer insights into treating microvascular complications not only in the heart but also in organs like the brain, liver, and kidneys.
- Renton's work could pave the way for therapeutic interventions targeting pannexin-1 channel activity to mitigate cardiovascular risks associated with obesity and improve vascular health.
- His research transcends traditional focus on macroscopic artery blockages, emphasizing the importance of microvascular health and its potential role in preventing irreversible damage caused by obesity-related heart disease.
- Renton collaborates with renowned researchers at the Center for Vascular and Heart Research, enhancing the translational potential of his findings and accelerating progress from research to clinical applications.
- His innovative research on the molecular links between obesity and coronary microvascular dysfunction holds promise for advancing cardiovascular health management and addressing the global challenge of obesity-related diseases.
- In the face of rising obesity rates worldwide, Renton's investigation into pannexin-1 and coronary microvascular dysfunction represents a significant step towards understanding and combatting the vascular effects of obesity for improved clinical outcomes.
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