Editorial - December 2024

Dear Colleagues from the Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology ESC Working Group,

We hope you have had a great start to the Autumn! With the seasons shifting, we're excited to reconnect with you and share recent developments within our working group. Since the start of the new mandate, it has been a dynamic few months, filled with inspiring meetings, collaborative projects, and an ever-growing momentum in our shared mission to advance the science of atherosclerosis and vascular biology.

First, let’s take a moment to celebrate the achievements of our working group. Various congresses offered opportunities not only to dive deep into scientific discussions but also to strengthen the bonds that keep our community thriving. It’s always motivating to see our nucleus members actively participating in these events, sharing their insights, and fostering conversations that push the boundaries of our knowledge.

In this issue, we are including some snapshots from the recent British Atherosclerosis Society Annual Meeting @ Queens’ College Cambridge, UK, the 6^th Cardio Summit Graz 11-16 September @ Medical University Graz, Austria and the Nobel in Africa Physiology/Medicine meeting, Cape Town, South Africa where our members had a strong presence.

These pictures are a testament to the vibrant exchange of ideas that continue to energize our work, both on and off the stage. If you missed any of these, we hope these photos will give you a sense of the dynamic atmosphere that characterized these gatherings.

To keep the momentum going, we have created a list of extra articles to complement our regular "Recommended Readings" section of the newsletter. These articles span key topics in atherosclerosis and vascular biology and are great reads as you dive into your autumn research activities:

• Champsi A, Mobley AR, Subramanian A et al. Gender and contemporary risk of adverse events in atrial fibrillation. European Heart Journal.
• Ninh, V.K., Calcagno, D.M., Yu, J.D. et al. Spatially clustered type I interferon responses at injury borderzones. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07806-1
• Chang TT, Li YZ, Mo HW et al. Inhibition of CCL7 improves endothelial dysfunction and vasculopathy in mouse models of diabetes mellitus. Sci Transl Med.
• Li X., Chen M, Chen X et al. TRAP1 drives smooth muscle cell senescence and promotes atherosclerosis via HDAC3-primed histone H4 lysine 12 lactylation. European Heart Journal.

One of the most exciting developments this month has been the remarkable growth of our LinkedIn group #AtheroMatters. Over the past weeks, the membership numbers have tripled—a clear sign for a strong appetite to discuss and exchange within our field.

For those of you who haven’t joined yet, we encourage you to become part of this vibrant community. Become member of our WG and get in contact with us! #AtheroMatters is quickly becoming the central hub for sharing new research articles, discussing novel findings, and connecting with other professionals who share a passion for atherosclerosis and vascular biology. Whether you're looking for feedback on your latest project, eager to share an exciting new paper, or simply want to stay updated on the latest trends, #AtheroMatters is the perfect platform for you.

The next few months promise to be just as busy and productive as we continue to work on the many initiatives that are in the pipeline. Here are a few upcoming meetings:

The 93rd European Atherosclerosis Society Congress will be held in Glasgow, UK in May 2025. The abstract submission is now open with a deadline set for 3 December. Linked to this event, the BAS organised a Summer School for which applications are also open (2–3 May 2025).

The annual meeting of the EAPC, European Association of Preventive Cardiology, will be held in Milan, Italy  in April 2025. The abstract submission is now open. 

Our mission remains the same: to advance the science of atherosclerosis and vascular biology while fostering an environment of collaboration and knowledge exchange. As always, your feedback is invaluable. If there are specific topics you would like to see covered in future newsletters, or if you have suggestions for how we can improve our activities, please do not hesitate to reach out by sending content to Luca Liberale (luca.liberale@unige.it), subject: WG Atherosclerosis Vascular Biology. This working group is built on the contributions and enthusiasm of its members, and we are always eager to hear your ideas.

Thank you for being part of this community, and we do hope to see you soon — whether online in #AtheroMatters or in person at the next meeting!

Luca, Holger, Simon & Elena
On behalf of the ESC Working Group on Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology