Adiponectin to improve blood vessel health in aging
Official title: Role of Adiponectin in Reversal of Age-related Vascular Dysfunction
Funded at Kansas State University · NIH-11235122 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if increasing a hormone called adiponectin helps older adults' blood vessels become healthier after aerobic exercise.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kansas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhattan, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $389,305 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166591-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235122 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be older adults with age-related declines in blood-vessel function or those willing to join a late-life aerobic exercise program.
✕Less likely to help
Younger people without age-related vascular changes or individuals with acute, unstable cardiovascular conditions are unlikely to benefit from this specific research approach.
What this research studies
This work looks at whether the hormone adiponectin helps reverse age-related changes in arteries and explains why late-life aerobic exercise improves blood-vessel function. Researchers will track adiponectin levels and measures of artery health such as blood vessel function, inflammation, and stiffness before and after exercise interventions and in laboratory models. The team will use blood tests, imaging, and cellular studies to link adiponectin signaling with improvements in the arteries. Findings could point to ways to mimic exercise benefits for older people who cannot exercise enough.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new therapies or strategies that restore blood-vessel health in older adults by targeting adiponectin pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show aerobic exercise improves artery health and raises adiponectin levels, but directly proving adiponectin causes reversal of vascular aging is largely new.
Where this research is happening
-
Kansas State University
Manhattan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Delp, Judy M — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Delp, Judy M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.