How common plastics and chemicals may change genes tied to heart and blood vessel health
Functional genomics of GxE in cardiovascular disease: BPA, phthalates and their interactions with gene regulation
Researchers will look at how BPA and phthalates change gene activity in blood-vessel cells from African American donors to learn why these chemicals may raise heart disease risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306620 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be asked to provide a blood or tissue sample so researchers can grow blood-vessel cells and expose them to common chemicals like BPA and phthalates. They will measure which genes switch on or off and how DNA packaging changes using RNA-seq and ATAC-seq to see how these chemicals affect cell behavior. The team will look for genetic differences that change how cells respond to these chemicals (gene-by-environment interactions). Those lab findings will be compared with genetic data for heart disease to find signals that might explain higher risk in African American people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be African American adults willing to provide blood or vascular tissue samples and basic health information.
Not a fit: People who are not African American, who do not provide biological samples, or who are seeking immediate treatment changes would not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to genetic markers that identify people more vulnerable to chemical exposures and suggest ways to prevent or treat related heart and blood vessel disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked BPA and phthalates to blood-vessel damage and genetic effects, but combining ATAC-seq and gene-by-environment mapping in vascular cells from African American donors is a relatively new and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luca, Francesca — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Luca, Francesca
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.