Project abstract


heart

Lipid lowering has significantly reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in EU. However, the aim to abolish CVD in EU is far from achieved and attempts to improve on the benefits of statins with new agents have not yet delivered new therapeutics. The Consortium Athero-Flux builds on FP7-generated large-scale lipidomics data showing that specific sphingolipids (SLs) with specific acyl chain lengths are better predictors of CV outcome than traditional risk factors such as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.

SLs are implicated in significant biological activities including cell survival, inflammation, and metabolic  diseases. Moreover, their levels in metabolic diseases are modulated by previously unrecognized factors such as the gut microflora. Thus, we hypothesize that by controlling SL metabolism a better primary and secondary prevention of CVD events than with statins alone can be achieved.

Athero-Flux builds on cutting-edge SME-led biotechnological tools including: a) high-throughput lipidomic platforms that allow the study of kinetics of lipid metabolism at the molecular lipid level including the new stable isotope labelling technique (Flux); b) whole genome RNA interference screening tools that will allow to identify the regulators of the production of SLs and the mediators of their biological effect; c) unique locked nucleotide antagonist platforms that have been successfully used clinically in more than 300 patients worldwide. The identification and the validation of the best targets to abate SL metabolism though a combination of SME-based leading technology and academia modeling has a strong potential for development of new lipid lowering therapeutics to abate previously unrecognized risk factors for CVD.

 

 

 

 

 

7fp eu-flag

 

This project is supported through Coordination Theme 1 (Health) of the
European Community's FP7. Grant agreement number
HEALTH-F2-2013-602222

 

 

 



News

NEWS AND EVENTS


June 2018
Joint Cardiovascular Inflammation Immunometabolism Workshop
Athens (Greece)

pdf Agenda
(16-18 June)
pdf Agenda (19 June)
pdf Participants list

January 2018
Annual meeting,
19-21 January 2018

Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot (Israel)

Agenda
Participant list


News archive

 



Project info

 

pdf Download the brochure

 

Acronym: Athero-Flux
EC Contribution: € 5.987.700
Duration: 60 months
Starting date: 01/09/2013
Instrument: Collaborative project

Coordinator
:
The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford
Prof Marc Feldmann
Head, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford,
Roosevelt Drive
Headington Oxford, OX3 7FY Tel: +44 (0)1865-612611
Fax: +44 (0)1865-612621




Last update: 25/02/2019