Understanding Aortic Disease Through Genetics and Imaging
Deep learning to enable the genetic analysis of aorta
This project uses advanced computer methods to better understand the genetic causes of aortic disease, which affects the main artery carrying blood from your heart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144939 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Aortic disease can lead to serious health problems, but we don't yet have enough information about its causes or good screening guidelines. This project aims to change that by using a special type of computer program, called deep learning, to analyze heart MRI images. By looking at these images from many people, the program can measure the aorta's size and help identify genetic factors linked to different types of aortic disease. This approach could help us find new ways to screen for and treat these conditions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with or at risk for aortic diseases, particularly those with sporadic thoracic or abdominal aortic conditions, could potentially benefit from future applications of this research.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical intervention will not find it through this foundational genetic analysis project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to screen for aortic disease and develop new treatments that target its underlying genetic causes.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary work by the principal investigator has already shown success in using deep learning and genetic analysis to identify factors related to aortic diameter in a large population.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pirruccello, James — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Pirruccello, James
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.