Diurnal fat and heart lipid clues in obesity and heart failure
Official title: Diurnal Adipose-Heart Lipid Dynamics in the Obesity Paradox of Heart Failure
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11449477 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in people (and animals) will explore how body fat and daily rhythms influence heart health in obesity-related heart failure and look for lipid signals that might explain the obesity paradox.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $670,574 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL183959-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449477 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with obesity and/or heart failure, and those contributing to human data analyses related to obesity and HF.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without obesity or heart failure or without access to the involved datasets or samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project investigates how adipose tissue and its lipids interact with heart function in the setting of obesity and heart failure, with a focus on daily rhythms. Researchers will examine how fat breakdown and free fatty acids affect heart energy use and whether these effects depend on the heart’s lipid sensors. The team plans to test these ideas in animal models and analyze human data to identify lipid patterns linked to better outcomes in heavier patients. If successful, the work could reveal new targets to support heart health in people with obesity and HF.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal metabolic targets that help tailor treatments for people with obesity and heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies suggest obesity can have protective metabolic effects in heart failure, but the mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Zheng — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Sun, Zheng
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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.