Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), a condition defined by a set of aging-related genetic mutations in blood cells, is associated with an increased risk of several conditions. A team led by CGM PI Pradeep Natarajan and colleagues from Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Stanford University, and Vanderbilt University explored the relationship between CHIP and atherosclerosis in the peripheral arteries. Individuals with mutations in DNA damage repair genes had an increased risk, and mouse data indicated that such mutations may drive increased aortic plaque size and accumulation of macrophages within plaques.