Using Hispanic/Latino genetic diversity to find genes linked to heart disease and stroke

Leveraging Hispanic/Latino diversity to map and characterize cardiovascular disease loci

NIH-funded research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11262221

This project looks at DNA from Hispanic/Latino people to find genetic differences that influence risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chapel Hill, United States)
Project IDNIH-11262221 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, researchers will analyze genetic data and health information from Hispanic/Latino adults to pinpoint DNA variants tied to coronary heart disease, stroke, and related risk factors. They will use large-scale genome scans that take advantage of the mixed ancestry common in Hispanic/Latino populations to improve detection of risk loci. Follow-up analyses will try to identify the likely causal variants and the biological pathways they affect. The goal is to build knowledge that could help tailor prevention, risk prediction, and future treatments for Hispanic/Latino communities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults who identify as Hispanic or Latino (with or without cardiovascular disease) who can provide a DNA sample and health information would be the ideal participants.

Not a fit: People who are not Hispanic/Latino or those expecting immediate medical treatment changes should not expect direct clinical benefits from this genetic mapping work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Findings could improve genetic risk prediction and help guide prevention or targeted therapies for Hispanic/Latino patients with cardiovascular conditions.

How similar studies have performed: Large genetic studies in European-ancestry populations have found many heart disease risk loci, but genome-wide studies specifically in Hispanic/Latino groups are scarce, making this approach partly novel for this population.

Where this research is happening

Chapel Hill, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes MellitusCardiovascular Diseases
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.