Children's heart health and the effects of heat and wildfire smoke
Official title: Children’s Cardiovascular Health and the Impacts of Heat Stress and Wildfire Smoke
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11262924 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how heat waves and wildfire smoke during pregnancy and childhood may affect children's heart health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 23, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $669,373 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES036185-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11262924 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are pregnant people and children from infancy through about 11 years old who live in areas affected by heat waves or wildfire smoke and can share address and health information.
✕Less likely to help
Adults who are not pregnant or whose children are outside the studied age range, and people who cannot provide address or health data, are unlikely to benefit directly from joining.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use home addresses and public weather and air-quality data to estimate each child's exposure to extreme heat and wildfire smoke during pregnancy and early childhood. They will compare those exposure histories to heart-related measurements, BMI, and biological markers taken from medical records, clinic visits, or samples. The study will look at how heat and smoke together affect heart health and whether household factors like air conditioning or other community measures reduce risks. Results aim to point to practical steps families and local leaders can use to protect children from harm.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help identify when and how heat and smoke harm children's hearts and suggest household or community steps to reduce those risks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research links heat and smoke to heart problems in adults, but studies focused on children and on combined exposures are limited, so this approach is relatively new for pediatric heart health.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farzan, Shohreh F — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Farzan, Shohreh F
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Enhancing Intergenerational Heart Health in Nigeria during Pregnancy and Early Life
A research project will test a healthy eating and active living program for pregnant women with obesity in Nigeria to help improve heart health for the mother and her children.
-
COVID-19 healthcare disruptions and heart health inequities in NYC adults with multiple conditions
This project looks at how COVID-19-related gaps in care affected heart health in adults with several chronic conditions in New York City.
-
ENRICH: A Center to Support Healthy Hearts for Moms and Kids
A nationwide effort at Johns Hopkins to test a consistent, family-focused program that helps mothers and their children develop healthier heart habits using home visiting, technology, and coordinated care.
-
Early life air pollution and kids’ heart health: how metals in the air affect children from birth to age 12
This grant studies how pollution from cooking fires and wood smoke in early life may shape a child’s heart health through age 12.
-
Enhancing cardiovascular health for moms and kids at home
A multi-center program tests whether enhanced home visiting can improve heart health and growth in families from economically challenged communities by collecting more accurate pediatric height/weight data.
-
GLP-1 receptor drugs and heart-brain health in diabetes and Alzheimer’s risk
A Duke-led study will explore how GLP-1 receptor medicines and exercise affect brain and heart health in models prone to diabetes and Alzheimer’s risk.
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.