Environmental chemicals that harm the heart and blood vessels
Identifying environmental pollutants detrimental to the cardiovascular system
This project looks at whether common pollutant chemicals stored in body fat damage blood vessels and why this happens in people at risk for heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252614 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would take part in a project that connects clinical tests with lab experiments to see how pollutant chemicals (often called 'forever chemicals') stored in fat affect blood vessels. Researchers will perform noninvasive tests of blood vessel function and may collect blood and small adipose (fat) tissue samples for lab study. In the lab, scientists will use imaging, single-molecule RNA detection, RNA sequencing, and protein analyses to study how these chemicals change fat cells and endothelial (vessel) cells. The clinical measurements and molecular data will be combined to pinpoint mechanisms that could explain higher cardiovascular risk after pollutant exposure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with or at risk for cardiovascular disease who can attend visits at Boston University and provide clinical tests and, in some parts, blood or small fat tissue samples.
Not a fit: People without exposure to these pollutants or those seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify specific chemicals that raise cardiovascular risk and suggest ways to prevent or reduce that harm.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies and the team's preliminary data link certain pollutants to vascular harm, but combining detailed patient measures with molecular profiling is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gokce, Noyan — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Gokce, Noyan
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 below.