School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health

Dr Sheon Samji has been awarded two grants: 

Tenovus Scotland Award-Small Pilot Grant. Project title:  Mapping renal pathophysiology and cellular alterations in heart failure (HFpEF) at single-nuclei resolution. 2years-£20K. Co-Applicant: Prof Christian Delles; Collaboration: Prof. Christopher Loughrey.

Lay Summary: My research focuses on understanding the role of the kidneys in HFpEF to find new therapeutic targets. We use a unique mouse model that mimics the conditions seen in HFpEF, including obesity, high blood pressure, and kidney impairment.  This project aims to uncover how kidney cells behave differently in HFpEF, particularly how they handle sodium, which could lead to new drug targets to improve diuretic treatments.

RS MacDonald Trust pump-priming funding. Project Title: Establishing molecular signatures of cerebral small vessel disease to uncover causal mechanisms and potential treatment targets. 10 months, £10K. Co-Applicant: Prof. Tom Van Agtmael.

Lay Summary: Collagen IV is a protein in the walls of blood vessels. Previously, we uncovered that ~65% of the population have changes in collagen IV that contribute to small vessel disease with brain bleeding, but how they lead to disease remains unknown. We will now employ an unparalleled molecular analysis (extracellular and intracellular proteome signatures) of brain blood vessels of mouse models and, importantly, patients that have these collagen IV variants to identify how these changes in collagen IV cause small vessel disease. This will transform our knowledge of small vessel disease and brain bleeding, and can uncover targets for urgently needed therapies that treat the disease rather than symptoms.

---

First published: 20 February 2025