Penn Medicine Researcher Wins $6M Grant for Genetic Research in Cardiovascular Diseases

Daniel J. Radar, M.D., associate director of Penn Medicine’s Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, and a team of researchers received a $6 million grant from the Fondation Leducq. It will be used to study the genetics of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The team will focus on determining the molecular mechanisms of genes highlighted in genome-wide association studies for coronary heart disease and heart attack. Specifically, the researchers will study six novel genes found by the study to be associated with heart disease. The aim is to assess their function in physiological processes associated with cardiovascular disease and whether or not they are viable targets for future therapeutic development.

The award is funded through the Fondation Leducq's Transatlantic Networks of Excellence Program. Each research network receives $6 million over five years to support a collaborative research program involving European and North American investigators.