C. Shad Thaxton, 33

摘要

To combat cardiovascular disease, Shad Thaxton, an assistant professor of urology, designed a nanoparticle that may be able to carry cholesterol right out of the body. Several drugs treat cardiovascular disease by lowering levels of the lipoprotein complex LDL, commonly called "bad cholesterol" because it deposits the cholesterol in blood-vessel walls. But no existing therapies can directly increase HDL, or "good cholesterol," which carries the sticky molecule through the bloodstream and to the liver for excretion. Thaxton's nanoparticles mimic HDL.