How an imbalance between nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species contributes to heart disease

Novel approaches to discover new NO-redox signalling targets in cardiovascular disease

Maintaining the right balance in the body of beneficial chemicals called nitric oxide (NO) and damaging chemicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential for our heart and circulatory system to work correctly. In some diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, NO production falls and the balance between NO and ROS becomes disturbed. In trials, drugs that redress the balance by reducing ROS (antioxidants) have shown no benefit. We need to have a better understanding of how NO and ROS are produced and how they have effects in cells to find out if they are potential targets for prevention and treatment of heart disease. Dr Mark Crabtree has been awarded a BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship to investigate how NO and ROS imbalance contributes to cardiovascular disease. In the long term, Mark wants to lead an internationally recognised research group in cardiovascular science, within a world-leading academic institute. During his fellowship, Mark hopes to learn more about the causes and consequences of altered NO/ROS balance in heart and circulatory disease. He will use novel techniques to identify new pathways or proteins within cells that could be used as targets for new drugs to prevent and treat the condition. This research may reveal novel avenues for drug development, offering hope to people who have heart and circulatory disease.