The Leeper Laboratory investigates the biology of vascular disease with the goal of preventing cardiovascular events and accelerating new therapies to patients. Our work spans atherosclerosis, aneurysm disease, and related cardiometabolic conditions, combining human genetics, mechanistic biology, and translational science within a deeply clinical environment at Stanford.  Our core areas of focus include:

1) Unbiased human genetics to define the heritable component of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
We use hypothesis-free, genome-wide approaches—paired with large-scale clinical and molecular datasets—to discover genetic determinants of vascular disease risk and progression. We then “close the loop” by moving from association to mechanism: mapping causal genes and pathways, validating function in relevant vascular and immune cell systems, and using these insights to nominate druggable targets and design first-in-class therapies.

2) The intersection of cancer and cardiovascular disease—the world’s two leading killers.
Cancer and CVD share core biological programs (e.g., inflammation, immune evasion, clonal selection, tissue remodeling) and increasingly intersect clinically as patients live longer with—and after—cancer. Our lab studies the mechanistic overlap between oncologic and vascular biology, with a focus on how “tumor-like” signaling and cellular plasticity can shape vascular remodeling and atherosclerotic disease.

3) Environmental exposures in atherosclerosis, with a focus on micro- and nano-plastics.
Atherosclerosis is not only driven by genetics and traditional risk factors; it is also shaped by the environment we live in. We are developing tools and collaborations to quantify emerging exposures—especially micro- and nano-plastics—and to determine how these materials influence vascular inflammation, lipid biology, and plaque stability. Our goal is to generate actionable, mechanism-based insights that can inform both prevention and therapeutic development.

4) Translation: advancing new therapies to the clinic through Stanford Vascular Medicine.
A defining feature of the lab is a commitment to true bench-to-bedside work. In parallel with discovery science, we pursue translational programs that de-risk new therapeutic strategies and move promising interventions toward human studies, leveraging the clinical and research infrastructure of Stanford’s Vascular Medicine program.  A major focus area is restoring programmed cell removal (“efferocytosis”) in atherosclerotic plaque—reactivating the immune system’s ability to clear diseased and dying cells in order to reduce inflammation and stabilize vulnerable lesions. Recent work has advanced targeted pro-efferocytic strategies, including nanotherapy approaches designed to preserve efficacy while improving safety profiles relevant to clinical translation.

Training and mentorship.
Training physician-scientists and interdisciplinary investigators is central to our mission. We provide rigorous mentorship across experimental design, quantitative methods, and translational thinking, with the expectation that trainees develop both mechanistic depth and a clear line of sight to clinical impact. The lab also helps lead Stanford’s NIH T32 training grant in vascular biology (“Mechanisms & Innovation in Vascular Disease”), supporting a diverse community of trainees across departments and scientific discipline

Watch Elsie Ross, MD Vascular Surgeon and Eri Fukaya, MD Vascular Medicine Specialist, discuss the importance of vascular health and how to protect your vascular system.