The results of the NCN PRELUDIUM24 competition are in. We are pleased to announce that Natalia Chorąży’s project, entitled: “Decoding the role of vascular lipid droplets in endotoxemia-induced vascular inflammatio”.
The proper function of blood vessels depends on the metabolic balance of the vascular wall and the intact activity of the endothelium. Recent studies suggest that an important—yet previously underestimated—role may be played by lipid droplets, small lipid-storing organelles that actively participate in inflammatory and metabolic processes. In conditions such as endotoxemia, which can progress to sepsis, a strong inflammatory response disrupts vascular function and may lead to organ failure.
The project aims to determine whether the accumulation and regulation of lipid droplets within the aortic wall contribute to these disturbances or instead exert protective effects. Understanding their role may pave the way for identifying new pathophysiological mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets in inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
