Air pollution and brain health: learning how clean air helps people with Alzheimer’s and breathing illnesses
Official title: Building U.S. Research Capacity Through International Environmental Health Science on Air Pollution, Cardiorespiratory Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease (Research U01)
Funded at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia · NIH-11544729 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A U.S.–Peru research effort will study how air pollution affects heart, lung, and brain health, including Alzheimer’s disease risks, with a focus on Lima, Peru.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lima, Peru) |
| Project start | September 28, 2015 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $12,979 |
| NIH project number | 3U01TW010107-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11544729 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults in urban Peru exposed to high PM2.5/NO2 levels, with or at risk for cardiovascular, respiratory, or cognitive conditions.
✕Less likely to help
People living in areas with low air pollution exposure or without respiratory or cognitive concerns may see less direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will map air pollution exposure in Lima with high resolution, link it to hospital data on respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes, and study Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The project combines environmental measurements, epidemiology, and clinical investigations to understand how air pollution relates to both everyday health and neurodegenerative risk. By comparing pollution reductions from traffic policies to health outcomes, the study aims to identify opportunities to protect vulnerable patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to cleaner air policies and targeted guidance to reduce Alzheimer's risk and respiratory and cardiovascular problems among city residents.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies link air pollution to heart and lung diseases and some neurodegenerative connections; this project builds a more integrated, location-specific analysis.
Where this research is happening
-
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Lima, Peru Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hartinger, Stella Maria — Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
- Study coordinator: Hartinger, Stella Maria
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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.