CD93 in metabolic disease and mental illness
Supervisors:
Dr Rona Strawbridge, School of Health and Wellbeing
Prof Tom Van Agtmael, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health
Dr Ian Salt, School of Molecular Biosciences
Summary:
Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have increased prevalence and risk of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). Recent evidence suggests that shared biological mechanisms might contribute to SMI and CMD, however the nature of these shared biological mechanisms is not known.
CD93 is a transmembrane molecule required for vascular integrity and implicated in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. CD93 has not been studied in relation to mental illness, but is a plausible candidate for involvement, through reduction in vascular integrity.
This project will use genetic, genomic and in vitro methods to explore the hypothesis that CD93 is a mechanistic link between mental and physical illness.