Integrative model of metabolites, equol, and heart disease
Official title: Integrative Model of Metabolomics, Equol and Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (IMMEA)
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11411180 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $656,467 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169332-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411180 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at risk for ASCVD or with existing ASCVD, especially those whose diet includes soy/isoflavones and varying omega-3 intake.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without ASCVD risk factors or in populations not represented in the study cohorts may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use data from Japanese cohorts to see if being an equol producer is linked to ASCVD. They will combine equol levels, omega-3 fats, and other metabolites to create probabilistic graphical models that predict ASCVD risk. The study focuses on people, blood samples, and lifestyle factors collected in existing cohorts to understand links between diet, metabolism, and heart disease. Findings could help tailor prevention strategies based on metabolic profiles and diet. This work aims to translate complex biomarker data into insights relevant to patients’ heart health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve personalized risk assessment and prevention strategies for ASCVD based on a person’s metabolite profile and equol production.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies suggest diet and metabolism influence ASCVD, but this project advances by integrating metabolites and equol production into predictive models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sekikawa, Akira — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Sekikawa, Akira
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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.