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Dear NAVBO Members,
Our new Public Affairs Committee (PAC) submitted a comment from NAVBO to NIH concerning the Request for Information (RFI) on Proposed Changes to Reporting Outcomes from NIH Peer Review. See below for more details. We will have regular articles in this newsletter from the PAC.
Vascular Biology 2026 is just over a week away! Registration is still open. If you haven’t secured your spot, please do so as soon as possible. We're introducing something new this year
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- a meeting-wide scavenger hunt, called the NAVBO Challenge. We hope everyone, especially trainees, will join in the fun. There will be prizes!
I'd like to congratulate all the award recipients, especially of our Travel Awards - see the list of recipients at https://navbo.org/vb2026 and click on the Travel Awards tab. Outstanding Poster Award recipients will be announced at the Farewell Dinner on Wednesday evening, where we will also have music and dancing. A reminder to poster judges to please get their scores in early so that we can tally them all in time.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Looking ahead, our 2027 events include the virtual workshop on Vascular Development, Repair and Aging, February 16-18; the Lymphatic Forum 2027 (May 23-26 in Harrisburg, PA); Vasculata at the University of Virginia (July 13-15); and Vascular Biology 2027, October 17-21 at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Mark your calendars.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication to our scientific community and for making NAVBO such a strong, vibrant organization.
Warmly,
Cynthia St. Hilaire, PhD, FAHA
President, NAVBO
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Public Policy and Advocacy Digest
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Shape the future of grant funding!
The deadline to respond to proposed changes to the NIH grant funding process is October 13. Make your voice heard!
The NIH is considering several proposed changes to the grant funding process (described in Request for Information (RFI) NOT-OD-26-088). NAVBO has released a statement highlighting two specific issues with these proposed changes:
- Grant funding will become a “black box”. Applications will be binned into three groups: 1) Competitive, Discussed (0-25% of overall impact scores); 2) Competitive, Not Discussed: (26-50% of overall impact scores); and 3) Not Discussed: 51-100% of overall impact scores. With the elimination of paylines, it is unknown to what extent scientific merit will be used to decide which grants within the Competitive groups will be selected for funding.
- Applicants may not receive sufficient feedback on their proposals. Under the proposed changes, applicants will not know specifically how their proposal scored relative to others. Overall impact scores and percentiles will not be communicated to the Principal Investigator, Applicant Institution, NIH program staff, ICO leadership, or the relevant NIH Advisory Council, and loss of scientific feedback will erode considerations of scientific merit at every step of the grant funding process.
NIH funding creates enormous value across the United States. Find the impact of NIH funding in your state here. NAVBO is concerned that the proposed changes to the grant funding progress will jeopardize federal funding for vascular biology research, and will ultimately delay scientific progress towards treatments for disease.
What can you do?
- Submit a response to the RFI on proposed NIH grant funding changes here by October 13.
- Read and share NAVBO’s statement here on your social media.
Don’t forget to tag NAVBO if you do!
See other Advocacy-related news on the NAVBO website!
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NAVBO Membership Business Meeting
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Mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00pmET to attend the Membership Business Meeting. As we have done for the past few years, the Business Meeting will be held virtually. More information and a link will be sent to members only via email.
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Travel Funds Available for NAVBO Trainee Members
NAVBO will help fund NAVBO trainee members to attend small (200 participants or less), non-NAVBO, conferences of the member's choice, rather than NAVBO restricting it to certain conferences. Applicants must submit an abstract to an eligible meeting. Support will be up to $500 and a limited number of awards are available.
Additional information and an application can be found on our web site at https://navbo.org/Trainee-Awards.
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IVBM 2026 Travel Award Winners
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Congratulations to our IVBM2026 Travel Award Winners pictured above from left to right: Natalia Obacz, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Swarnadip Ghosh, National Centre for Biological Sciences; Mark Renton, Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; Cyrine Ben Dhaou, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport; Lola Zerbib, NIH; and Mariaelena Valentino, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Brant Weinstein presented the awards on behalf of NAVBO.
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Xu Xiao, Ph.D.
I am Xu Xiao, an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. My laboratory studies how intracellular cholesterol transport and organelle lipid homeostasis regulate cardiovascular and metabolic health. Our research focuses on identifying novel cholesterol transport pathways and understanding their roles in metabolic liver disease, atherosclerosis, and vascular inflammation, with the long-term goal of developing new therapeutic strategies for cardiometabolic diseases.
Transitioning from a trainee to an independent investigator has been one of the most exciting and challenging stages
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of my scientific career. Since establishing my laboratory at the University of Kentucky, I learned that building a successful research program requires more than developing innovative ideas and generating exciting data. It also requires effective lab management, a commitment to trainee development, and persistence in the face of scientific uncertainty.
Click here to read more from Dr. Xiao.
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Revamped R25 funding opportunities on the horizon
The NIH's long-standing effort to develop the scientific workforce of the future has led to creation of new R25 Research Education Program opportunities. These new research education programs provide a simpler framework for supporting research education activities. A webinar on November 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET will discuss these new funding opportunities further. (more information coming soon). Emphasis will be encouraged on innovation in curriculum and methods, mentoring and professional networks, and enhanced research experiences. They are also designed to reach participants across educational and career stages, from high school students to established investigators.
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Mark your calendars! 2027 NAVBO Meetings
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July 13-15 - University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Abstract and registration to open in
January 2027
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Technology Showcase at Vascular Biology 2026
Lucid Scientific makes Resipher, a continuous mitochondrial respiration monitoring technology for live cells, tissues, and small model organisms including zebrafish embryos. The sensing lid sits on a standard 96-well plate inside your incubator or hypoxic chamber, tracking metabolic shifts for days or weeks without labels and without disturbing the cells. Learn more at Vascular Biology 2026 during their session “Live, Long-term Mitochondrial Respiration with Resipher” on October 20 at 3:45 p.m.!
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Thanks to Our Co-Sponsor and Supporters of Vascular Biology 2026
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This month we’re highlighting the lab of Dr. Xu Xiao, Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. The Xiao lab is all about lipids, including cholesterol transport proteins, lipoprotein metabolism, developing strategies to modulate intracellular lipid homeostasis and more!
Find out more about his lab by visiting his page in our Lab of the Month listing.
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Welcome to our New Members:
Aisha Adil, University of Toronto
Nazia Aga, University of Wolverhampton
Heena Agarwal, Columbia University
Monserrat Avila Zozaya, University of North Carolina
Abhinay Gontu, University of Arizona
Adam Hoch, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Duc-Huy Nguyen, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Rahul Patil, Augusta University
Yi Xing, Wayne State University
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Recent Member Publications
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Regulation of PDGF-BB signaling in placental pericytes by soluble PDGFRβ isoforms: implications for fetoplacental vascular development
Angiogenesis
Vascular remodeling within the developing fetus and placenta is essential for supporting the growth and function of emerging tissues and organs. Pericytes (PCs) play a central role in stabilizing and maturing microvascular networks by extending along endothelial cells (ECs) and reinforcing vessel integrity. Read More
Lymphatics-epicardial cross talk via Reelin controls cardiac growth
Genes and Development
How mammalian organ size is precisely regulated remains incompletely understood. This process depends on the coordinated balance between cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In the heart, the epicardium plays a central role in embryonic cardiac growth as a source of multiple cardiac progenitor lineages. Read More
Targeting KIT prevents brain arteriovenous malformations driven by ALK1-deficient angiogenic endothelial cells
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia type 2 (HHT2), caused by mutations in ACVRL1 (also known as ALK1), is characterized by brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), abnormal artery–vein connections for which treatment options remain limited. Read More
If you recently published a paper and would like to have it included in a future issue of the NAVBO NewsBEAT and/or on our web site. Please send the citation to membership@navbo.org
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Make an early run for an R01
Early stage investigators (ESIs) are faced with key decisions in choosing the funding opportunity and grant type consistent with their career stage and record to date. Junior researchers often feel more competitive for smaller awards such as the R21 over an R01-equivalent award, when this may not actually be the case. NIH leadership strongly encourages early career researchers to focus on seeking R01-equivalent grants. This approach is consistent with NIH’s long-standing commitment to promoting the sustainability of the biomedical research workforce. Further, NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices prioritize ESIs in their funding decisions, setting annual funding targets of R01-equivalent awards to ESIs.
KRAS inhibition and angiogenesis?
The FDA approval of oncogenic KRAS inhibitor Rasonque invites the question of whether such therapeutics may indirectly act as inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis as well, by disrupting the supportive signals that KRAS-mutant cells send to the tumor microenvironment. Rasonque potentially could reduce production or release of proangiogenic factors such as VEGF, FGF, and inflammatory cytokines, thereby limiting endothelial-cell proliferation, migration, and vascular-tube formation. Rasonque might also alter stromal-cell activity, hypoxia responses, or extracellular-matrix remodeling, weakening the feedback loops that sustain blood-vessel growth.
Projected impacts of barriers to international scholar presence in U.S.
Preliminary analysis by NAFSA indicates a projected decline in international student enrollment during Fall 2026, with cascading effects on U.S. economic activity and employment. This downturn reflects the convergence of several factors: declining application volumes, persistent visa appointment bottlenecks, and newly restrictive immigration policy changes. NAFSA’s assessment, based on responses to Institute of International Education’s Spring 2026 survey, estimates that the absence of as many as 111,000 international students at U.S. academic institutions will result in up to $3.4 billion in lost revenue and nearly 40,000 fewer jobs.
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Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Disease: From Fundamental Biology to Clinical Translation
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
Topic Editors: Masanori Aikawa, Elena Aikawa, Prabhash Kumar Jha, Toshiaki Nakano, Annet Kirabo, and Masayuki Yoshida
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This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive platform for the discovery, integration, and translation of knowledge in cardio-kidney-metabolic disease. By bringing together molecular biology, systems medicine, epidemiology, and clinical research, it seeks to unravel shared mechanisms linking the cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic axes. The goal is to identify actionable biomarkers, refine predictive risk models, delineate therapeutic responsiveness, and promote personalized strategies that mitigate residual risk and improve long-term outcomes. Specific questions include how multiorgan interactions drive progression, how metabolic and immune signals intersect to affect cardiac and renal remodeling, and how emerging therapies modulate system-wide homeostasis. By encouraging cross-disciplinary collaborations, this Research Topic will help translate mechanistic insights into actionable precision medicine for CKM disease. Click here for more information.
Manuscript Submission Deadline is January 30, 2027
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Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Frontiers in Atherosclerosis Research 2026: From Emerging Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Innovations
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
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This Research Topic aims to highlight advances spanning the full continuum of atherosclerosis research, from fundamental science through translational research to clinical implementation. Areas of particular interest include novel molecular mechanisms, new therapeutic targets, and the use of single-cell and spatial technologies to dissect vascular and immune cell heterogeneity. We also welcome studies exploring epigenetic and non-coding RNA regulation, the roles of systemic metabolism and the gut microbiome, as well as sex-specific mechanisms in vascular disease. Click here for more information.
Manuscript Submission Deadline is December 30, 2026
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Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Frontiers in Signaling and Post-Translational Modification (PTM) Research
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
The complexity of signaling pathways and post‑translational modifications has expanded dramatically, yet translating these advances into cardiovascular medicine remains difficult due to chronic disease dynamics, resistance, and the overlapping nature of regulatory networks. Integrating AI‑driven modeling and machine learning offers a promising way to decode complex networks and inspire transformative directions for future research and clinical innovation. Therefore, this Research Topic is designed to provide a dedicated platform for transformative thinking, welcoming submissions that push boundaries and offer fresh perspectives on signaling and post-translational modification in health and disease. For more information, click here.
Manuscript Submission Deadline is December 30, 2026
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Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Advances in Vascular Malformations: From Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms to Clinical Therapies and Management
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
In this Research Topic, we aim to gather contributions from scientists and clinicians to share recent advances in our understanding of the biology and treatment of vascular malformations. Ultimately, our goal is to accelerate the development of new therapeutic treatments for patients with vascular malformations affecting blood or lymphatic vessels.
Specific areas of interest are listed on the webpage:
Manuscript Submission Deadline is March 29, 2027.
Header image credit: Dr. Elisa Boscolo
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Frontiers In Cardiovascular Medicine
Cardiovascular Mechanobiology: Molecular Mechanisms, Disease Pathogenesis, and Therapeutic Opportunities
A NAVBO sponsored Research Topic
This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge original research and comprehensive reviews that highlight the central role of mechanobiology in cardiovascular health and disease. By bridging fundamental mechanobiology with translational science, we seek to foster innovation in both the foundational understanding of mechanotransduction and the development of next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics.
Specific areas of interest are listed on the webpage
Manuscript Submission Deadline is December 30, 2026.
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Microcirculation
Bidirectional Interaction of Microvascular Function and Cardiometabolic Disorders
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The goal of this special topic-issue is to highlight research focused on the bidirectional interactions of microvascular (dys)function and cardiometabolic disease. This may include the role of microvascular dysfunction in the development of cardiometabolic diseases, microvascular complications resulting from cardiometabolic disorders, metabolic regulation of vascular and parenchymal cells, and other closely related areas aimed at improving understanding, treatment, and prevention of microvascular perturbations in the face of cardiometabolic disease. This issue will be organized and edited by Stephen Hammond (Medical College of Wisconsin), Julie Leonard-Duke (Columbia University), and Reetu Singh (Harvard Medical School). The editors invite original research articles, focused reviews, and reports highlighting innovative approaches and methodologies for studying microvascular complications in cardiometabolic diseases. Articles can include in vivo, in vitro, or in silico approaches using preclinical or clinical model systems and should be 3,000-5,000 words (including figure legends, excluding references). Upon completion of peer review, accepted manuscripts will be published in Microcirculation ‘In Press’ and in the online special issue. Click here for more information.
Manuscript Submission Deadline is March 1, 2027
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| October 8, 2026 |
InFocus - Mechanisms Associated with Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Switching |
| October 18 - 22, 2026 |
Vascular Biology 2026 |
| November 5, 2026 |
Webinar: Sleep, Immunity, and Atherosclerosis |
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| November 18, 2026 |
Vascular Connections Mentoring Program Meet & Greet |
| January 10 - 15, 2027 |
GRC - Vascular Resilience: Mechanisms, Function, and Disease |
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| Februray 16 - 18, 2027 |
Vascular Development, Repair, and Aging Workshop |
| February 23 - 26, 2027 |
2027 Research Symposium on Pulmonary Injury and Repair of the Endothelium |
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| May 23 - 26, 2027 |
Lymphatic Forum 2027
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