Curt D. Sigmund, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, has been awarded a 4-year $2.48 million National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 Research Grant entitled “Role of PPARgand the PPARg Target Gene RBP7 in the Endothelium”.  The goal of the research is mechanistically determine how RBP7 (retinol binding protein 7) acts as a specific co-factor for PPARg in the endothelium, the inner most lining of the blood vessel, to protect the vessel from oxidative stress which can occur in response to cardiovascular stressors such as high fat diets and aging.  The grant includes a subcontract to collaborate with Dr. Jorge Plutzky at Harvard Medical School in Boston.