Gut microbe genes linked to heart health
Linking microbiome genetic variants with cardiovascular phenotypes in 50,000 individuals
This project looks for connections between genes in gut microbes and heart and blood-vessel health using data from tens of thousands of people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | J. David Gladstone Institutes NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11122238 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective: researchers are analyzing the DNA of gut microbes from about 50,000 people, including thousands with atherosclerosis and hundreds with recent heart events. They will use large-scale computational methods to find microbial genetic differences that relate to heart function, metabolism, inflammation, and coronary events. The team combines metagenomic sequencing data with detailed health records to search for microbial genes that might influence cardiovascular risk. If your clinic or a research cohort collected stool samples or health data, those samples could help reveal microbial contributors to heart disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults whose stool microbiome and health data are part of the contributing cohorts, especially people with atherosclerosis or other cardiac conditions.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment or clinical benefit should not expect direct help from this observational genetic analysis of microbes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify microbial genes or pathways that point to new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat cardiovascular disease.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have linked gut microbes to cardiovascular risk factors, but applying metagenome-wide association across ~50,000 people is a relatively new and more powerful approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- J. David Gladstone Institutes — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pollard, Katherine S. — J. David Gladstone Institutes
- Study coordinator: Pollard, Katherine S.
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.