Ted Nash Long Life Foundation

Reducing Cardiovascular Risks Using Sertoli Cell-Based Gene Therapy

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes and is responsible for the shortened life expectancy of more than 65% of people with diabetes. Conversely, diabetes is also a major risk factor for heart disease as individuals with diabetes often have high blood pressure and high cholesterol increasing their risk of developing cardiovascular complications.

Funding from the Ted Nash Long Life Foundation has allowed Jannette Dufour, Ph.D., to study the use of insulin/C-peptide expressing Sertoli cells as a potential therapy to prevent hypertension and reduce cardiovascular disease — thus impacting two of the greatest health threats to human life expectancy.

The work conducted with the foundation’s funding has positioned Dufour to apply for an R01 National Institutes of Health grant to further her work in Sertoli cell-based gene therapy for cardiovascular complications. The therapeutic potential of Sertoli cells could also extend to spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.

The Ted Nash Long Life Foundation’s support of our research has been pivotal in investigating this potential use of Sertoli cells to reduce heart disease, which along with diabetes accounts for a decrease in life expectancy and quality of life. We have made significant progress on this project which would not have been possible without your generous support. Thank you!

Jannette Dufour, Ph.D.

Professor, School of Medicine Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry Grant Awards: 2019, 2018, 2017