Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic heart disease. Research based on human-first (also known as bedside-to-bench) approaches has provided new insights into likely mechanisms behind this increased risk. Although both forms of diabetes are associated with blood glucose fluctuations, it is becoming increasingly clear that altered lipoprotein metabolism plays a critical role in predicting cardiovascular disease risk in people with diabetes. This seminar will examine recent findings indicating that increased levels of remnant lipoproteins, rather than glucose, could be a missing link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease.