How combined metal and PFAS exposures affect stress and heart disease risk
The Impact of Combined Exposure to Metals and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances on Stress, Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Mortality
This project looks at whether exposure to metals (like lead, cadmium, mercury) together with PFAS chemicals is tied to higher chronic stress and greater heart disease risk and death in people and communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greensboro, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11133073 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, this work connects your chemical exposure levels (lead, cadmium, mercury, PFOS, PFOA) with measures of chronic stress and neighborhood stress. Researchers will use blood or serum measures and biomarkers of allostatic load plus census-tract data to estimate community stress. They will link those exposure and stress measures to heart disease risk and mortality using health records and statistical models that consider combined exposures. The goal is to find specific exposure patterns and neighborhoods that may need targeted action.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who live in communities with known metal or PFAS contamination or who have blood tests and health records that can be linked to neighborhood data would be the best fit.
Not a fit: People without measurable exposure or biomarker data, without linked health records, or living outside the included areas are unlikely to directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help target interventions or policies to reduce harmful combined exposures and lower stress and heart disease in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked individual metals and PFAS to heart disease, but studying their combined effects along with community stress is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Greensboro, United States
- North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ — Greensboro, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Obeng-Gyasi, Emmanuel — North Carolina Agri & Tech St Univ
- Study coordinator: Obeng-Gyasi, Emmanuel
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.