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Welcome to the Bornfeldt Laboratory

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Our lab is on a mission to prevent cardiovascular disease at its biological roots in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By uncovering previously unrecognized mechanisms and identifying promising new drug targets, we aim to transform how heart disease in diabetes is understood, prevented, and treated.

Why does diabetes dramatically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease? Our lab investigates how triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and the proteins that control their clearance drive atherosclerosis. We aim to translate these discoveries into new therapies to prevent heart disease in diabetes.

Our work is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and by the generous support of donors to the Edwin L. Bierman Professorship.

Publication List Data Sharing Portal
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Lab Celebrations

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Current Laboratory Members

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Karin Bornfeldt, PhD
Edwin L. Bierman Professor of Medicine, Director of Research and Complications of Diabetes Research Program, UW Medicine Diabetes Institute, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Deputy Director, UW Diabetes Research Center, Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, bornf@uw.edu
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Farah Kramer, BS
Research Scientist, Lab Manager, fkramer@uw.edu
Masami Shimizu-Albergine, PhD
Masami Shimizu-Albergine, PhD
Research Scientist, shimizu@uw.edu
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Jingjing Tang, PhD
Research Scientist, jjtang@uw.edu
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Brian Van Yserloo, BS
Research Scientist, brianvy@uw.edu
Luz Wigzell, BS
Luz Wigzell, BS
Research Scientist, linares@uw.edu
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Alan Tran, BS
Research Scientist, alant14@uw.edu
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Huaqing Zheng, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar, hqzheng@uw.edu

Close UWMDI Collaborators

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Jenny Kanter, PhD
Research Associate Professor, Diabetes Research Center Enrichment Program Director, jenka@uw.edu
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Lab Alumni

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Shelley Barnhart, BS
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Hye Seung Jung, MD
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Yunosuke Matsuura, MD, PhD
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Eyal Kedar, MD
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Vishal Kothari, PhD
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Tomohiro Nishizawa, PhD
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Sara Vallerie, PhD
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Valerie Wall, PhD
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Cheng-Chieh (Steven) Hsu
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Ahreum Khang, MD

Summer Students and Undergraduate Students

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Nikki Nguyen
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Aaron Xu

In the News

New R35 Awarded
Dr. Karin Bornfeldt named ASBMB Fellow
Masami and her pup in the news!
Jingjing presenting at ATVB in May 2022
Vishal Presenting at ATVB in May 2022

Bridging the Gap Between Basic and Clinical Research to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes

March 23, 2026: Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, Edwin L. Bierman Professor of Medicine (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) and of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, has been awarded an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for her R35 project, “Bridging the Gap Between Basic and Clinical Research to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes.” This seven-year award will provide $700,000 per year in direct funding to support her NHLBI research program. The Outstanding Investigator Award recognizes investigators with a distinguished track record and significant contributions aligned with NHLBI’s mission. Dr. Bornfeldt’s co-investigators on the project include Drs. Petter Bjornstad, Jenny Kanter, Laura Pyle, Baohai Shao, and Tomas Vaisar. This marks her second time receiving this prestigious award.

Feb. 17, 2025: The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) announced that Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, professor (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) has been named among its 2025 class of fellows. Designation as a fellow recognizes commitment to the ASBMB through a history of exceptional and sustained service to the society as well as impactful accomplishments in research, education, mentorship, and service to the scientific community. Twenty-four fellows were selected this year.

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Masami and her pup in the news!
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Jingjing presenting at ATVB in May 2022

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Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, is senior author in Circulation Research.

Karin Bornfeldt, PhD, is senior author of “Diabetes Suppresses Glucose Uptake and Glycolysis in Macrophages” in Circulation Research. DOM co-authors are Masami Shimizu-Albergine, Shelley Barnhart, Farah Kramer, Cheng-Chieh Hsu, Vishal Kothari, Jingjing Tang, Sina Gharib, Jenny Kanter, and Baohai Shao.

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, co-authored a review in Cell Metabolism

Karin Bornfeldt, PhD, co-authored a review in Cell Metabolism, “Cardiovascular disease in diabetes, beyond glucose.”

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, is Senior Author in Circulation

UWMDI Investigator Karin Bornfeldt, PhD, is senior author of “Integrative Multiomics Approaches for Discovery of New Drug Targets for Cardiovascular Disease” in Circulation.

Drs. Tomas Vaisar, Jenny Kanter, Noemie Clouert-Foraison, Jay Heinecke, and Karin Bornfeldt, are co-authors in Circulation Research

Drs. Tomas Vaisar, Jenny Kanter, Noemie Clouet-Foraison, Jay Heinecke, and Karin Bornfeldt are co-authors of “Atherosclerosis Regression and Cholesterol Efflux in Hypertriglyceridemic Mice” in Circulation Research.

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, has been appointed as holder of the Edwin L. Bierman Professorship in Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition
Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, PhD, has been appointed as holder of the Edwin L. Bierman Professorship in Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition.

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, awarded the George Lyman Duff Memorial Lectureship at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions

Karin Bornfeldt, Edwin L. Bierman Professor of Medicine, was awarded the George Lyman Duff Memorial Lectureship at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions. The lectureship was established in 1956 by the Society for the Study of Arteriosclerosis in memory of Dr. Duff, a founding member and past president of the society. Past award recipients from the UW include Edwin Bierman (1991), Russell Ross (1980) and John Glomset (1979).

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, has received a new Program Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. . This grant, totaling $12 million over the next five years, includes four projects and three core units at the University of Washington, New York University and Washington University.

Dr. Karin Bornfeldt, Edwin L. Bierman Professor of Medicine, and professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, has received a new Program Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The primary focus of the new Triglycerides, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Program Project is to investigate whether diabetes causes changes in remnants of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, and whether these changes contribute to the increased cardiovascular disease risk associated with diabetes. This grant, totaling $12 million over the next five years, includes four projects and three core units at the University of Washington, New York University and Washington University. DOM project leaders are Jay Heinecke and Karin Bornfeldt and core directors are Karin Bornfeldt, Tomas Vaisar and Jenny Kanter. Baohai Shao (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) is a Co-Investigator on the program.

Contact Us

UW Medicine Diabetes Institute,
Room F610,
750 Republican Street,
Box 358062
Seattle, WA 98109

Karin Bornfeldt: (206) 543-1681
Lab Main Line: (206) 616-3551

Careers
To inquire about Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Openings click on: bornf@uw.edu