Understanding Heart Health in African American Women
Epigenetic biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in African American Women
This project aims to understand how changes in our genes, influenced by lifestyle and environment, affect heart health in African American women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193943 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Heart disease significantly affects African American women, leading to serious health issues. While we know some genetic factors play a role, this project looks at "epigenetics," which are changes to our genes that don't alter the DNA itself but can be influenced by daily life, aging, and surroundings. By studying these epigenetic changes in a large group of African American women from a past health initiative, we hope to find new ways to predict and prevent heart problems. This work could help us better understand how lifestyle and environment contribute to heart disease in this community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on understanding heart disease risk in postmenopausal African American women.
Not a fit: Patients who are not African American women or those not at risk for cardiovascular disease may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to identify African American women at higher risk for heart disease and help develop more personalized prevention strategies.
How similar studies have performed: While genetic factors for heart disease have been studied, the role of epigenetics, especially in African American women, is less understood, making this a novel approach for this specific population.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Franceschini, Nora — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Franceschini, Nora
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.