Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and morbidity in the Western world. Atherosclerosis is described as a chronic inflammatory process affecting arterial blood vessels, and atherosclerotic plaque rupture results in acute clinical manifestations, including heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins, have been remarkably successful in reducing cardiovascular risk. However, residual risk remains substantial. The key to cardiovascular disease control is an improved understanding of atherosclerosis, which is fundamental to discovering new therapeutics. We invite authors to submit original research and/or review articles that seek to define novel mechanisms for atherosclerosis and its associated complications. Studies that are particularly welcome include, but are not limited to, those using human subjects and animal models to elucidate disease mechanisms, and those evaluating potential new therapeutic agents. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Identification of novel inflammatory pathways in mediating atherosclerosis
• Identification of novel lipid metabolism involved in atherosclerosis
• Elucidating the role of bioactive lipids and/or chemokines in cardiovascular function
• Cardiovascular inflammation imaging
• Identifying biomarkers for atherogenesis and/or for therapeutic efficacy/safety
• Development of novel therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis
• Establishment of innovative cellular and/or animal models for studying atherosclerosis

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/mi/cardio/ according to the following timetable: