The 2021 AAS Rising Star Award winners were:

  • Lachlan Sim, Baker Institute, 2021 Transnetyx Honours Rising Star Award
    • Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulators And Activators As A Novel Treatment For Diabetic Associated Atherosclerosis
    • sGC activator BAY-60 can reverse atherosclerosis in a murine model of diabetes. BAY-60 demonstrated a significant decrease in oxidative stress and macrophage infiltration in the aortae of diabetic APOE KO mice.
  • Emma Solly, SAHMRI, 2021 ACvA PhD Rising Star Award
    • “Inhibition Of Microrna-181C Rescues Diabetes-Impaired Angiogenesis Through Activation Of Key Angiogenesis Mediators”
    • People living with diabetes have higher rates of chronic non-healing wounds and lower limb amputations, due to an impaired ability to promote angiogenesis. We have identified an anti-angiogenic role for miRNA-181c and show that its inhibition can rescue diabetes-impaired angiogenesis, showcasing a novel treatment approach for diabetic vascular complications.
  • Sam Lee, Baker Institute, 2021 CSL ECR Rising Star Award 
    • “A High Salt Diet Drives Atherogenesis By Modulating Immune Cells”
    • We demonstrate that a high salt diet increases pathogenic TH17 cells in the bone marrow where they signal LepR+ mesenchymal stromal cells to decrease retention and maintenance factors as well as suppress gene associated with vessel remodelling. This provides an environment for stem cells to mobilise out from the bone marrow and into the spleen where they expand and differentiate into atherogenic monocytes, ultimately contributing to plaque progression.

December 02 2021