Understanding how body composition and microvascular heart problems relate to cardiometabolic disease in women and men
Official title: Beyond BMI: Role of Body Composition, Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction and HFpEF in Characterizing Cardiometabolic Disease Phenotypes
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11397686 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant will use advanced imaging to study how obesity, coronary microvascular dysfunction, and HFpEF create different cardiometabolic heart disease profiles, with a focus on women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $742,047 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL175295-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397686 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obesity and suspected or confirmed INOCA or related cardiometabolic conditions, including women and men experiencing unusual chest pain or heart issues.
✕Less likely to help
People without obesity, INOCA, or related cardiometabolic conditions may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The project looks at how body fat distribution and quality of life indicators relate to heart disease that isn’t caused by clogged arteries. It uses modern imaging techniques to map body composition, coronary microvascular function, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in people with INOCA. By comparing women and men, the study aims to reveal why symptoms and risks differ and how obesity plays a role. The goal is to identify distinct cardiometabolic phenotypes that could guide personalized care in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to more tailored prevention and treatment strategies for obesity-related heart disease, especially in women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show promise in linking body composition with heart disease phenotypes, but this project advances by integrating multimodality imaging and sex-specific analyses.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taqueti, Viviany R — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Taqueti, Viviany R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Preterm infant body composition and early-life health after NICU stay
This grant studies how body composition in very preterm babies relates to later brain development and risk of obesity or diabetes, with findings meant to improve care from NICU through early childhood.
-
Body composition and outcomes after lung transplant
A patient-focused look at how body fat and muscle measurements around the time of lung transplant relate to recovery, complications, and quality of life after surgery.
-
How obesity drugs and exercise affect muscle and body fat in adults with obesity and diabetes
This project studies how obesity medications, with or without exercise, change muscle and fat in adults who have obesity and adult-onset diabetes.
-
LU-1001: a potential treatment for coronary tiny vessels dysfunction
A small NIH grant is studying LU-1001 to help people with coronary microvascular dysfunction by better diagnosing and potentially treating problems in the heart’s tiny blood vessels.
-
Advanced body fat imaging to improve lung transplant outcomes
This project uses CT imaging of fat distribution to better predict who will do well with a lung transplant and when to list them, with the goal of improving survival after transplant.
-
Body composition and outcomes after lung transplant
This study explores how body composition affects recovery and patient-reported well-being after lung transplantation.
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.