Professor Anders
Hamsten,
Head of the Atherosclerosis Unit,
King Gustaf V Research Institute
The mission of the Atherosclerosis Research Unit is to unravel the basic biological mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis and arterial thrombosis. This will be achieved by a combination of physiological, biochemical and molecular epidemiological studies in vivo in humans and functional molecular genetic studies in suitable in vitro systems. Our winning concept is to bridge the gap between cardiovascular research conducted in a clinical setting and contemporary laboratory-based molecular medicine.
The current research foci aim at defining:
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Novel molecular mechanisms predisposing to insulin resistance and an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype.
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The significance of matrix-degrading proteases for plaque rupture and progression of atherosclerosis.
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Determinants of fibrin gel structure – a factor of importance in atherothrombosis.The metabolic regulation of candidate genes for atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
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The gene expression profile of the atherosclerotic arterial wall.
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Novel disease genes and biological mechanisms important to coronary artery disease (CAD).
The molecular genetic research program uses three strategies in parallel - the candidate gene approach, microarray cDNA analysis of vascular cells and atherosclerotic vessel wall specimens and genome-wide screening of affected sibs - to identify new disease genes and novel biological mechanisms that contribute to precocious CAD. The basis of this work is access to representative and carefully characterized cohorts of population-based healthy individuals and patients with CAD.
The major current research lines are summarized under separate headings.