Familial hypercholesterolemia: closing gaps in prevention of heart disease
Official title: Familial hypercholesterolemia: missed opportunities and potential disparities in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11293026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new NIH grant is exploring why people with familial hypercholesterolemia often go undiagnosed or receive uneven care, with the goal of improving early detection and prevention of heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $235,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HL177731-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for FH, especially those from diverse backgrounds who may face barriers to diagnosis or treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without FH or with well-managed FH may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project focuses on familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition that raises lifetime heart-disease risk due to high LDL cholesterol. It looks at disparities in diagnosis and treatment across different groups and uses data from diverse sources to understand where opportunities are missed. The study will examine how acculturation, age, and other sociodemographic factors influence FH recognition and the uptake of LDL-lowering therapies and apheresis when needed. By identifying barriers and opportunities, the researchers aim to inform more equitable, timely prevention strategies for people with FH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier FH diagnosis and more consistent, effective prevention of ASCVD for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown FH underdiagnosis and treatment disparities; this project builds on that evidence and seeks to clarify where improvements can occur.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Hannah Lui — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Park, Hannah Lui
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Integrative model of metabolites, equol, and heart disease
This grant looks at how a person’s body processes soy isoflavones into equol and how that relates to atherosclerotic heart disease, using complex data to build predictive models.
-
Lp(a) and HIV: Understanding Heart Disease Risk in HIV Patients
This program looks at how Lipoprotein(a) contributes to higher heart disease risk in people with HIV and what Lp(a) levels mean for future treatments.
-
PVAT and arteries: why some vessels resist plaque
Aims to understand how fat tissue around arteries influences atherosclerosis, especially why the left internal mammary artery stays healthy while others don’t.
-
How T cell genes and signals affect atherosclerosis
This grant studies how a specific immune cell and its signals influence atherosclerosis in people, aiming to uncover new ways to reduce inflammation and heart disease risk.
-
Using behavioral nudges to improve family screening for inherited high cholesterol
This project uses two patient-facing approaches based on behavioral economics to help people with familial hypercholesterolemia get their relatives screened for the condition.
-
Understanding why some artery plaques become dangerous using genetics, tissue maps, and advanced imaging
Researchers will combine human genetic data with single-cell and spatial tissue maps to find why certain atherosclerotic plaques are more likely to cause heart events, aiming to improve prediction and prevention.
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.