# ACHiP-ACEs and Cardiometabolic Health in Pediatrics: Using a Coping and Stress Reduction Intervention to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents with Adversity

> **NIH NIH K01** · LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO · 2021 · $162,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Candidate: Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MSc is a pediatric physician and a junior clinical investigator focused on
examining the social risk factors of adolescent cardiometabolic health (CMH) and reducing the risk of the
development of cardiometabolic disease. Dr. Heard-Garris’s long-term career objective is to develop effective
interventions for adolescents that mitigate the negative influence of childhood adversity on CMH throughout the
lifespan. The training and research activities proposed will strongly support Dr. Heard-Garris in becoming an
independent physician-investigator examining and addressing the social risk factors of CMH in adolescents.
Research Context: Nearly 34 million US children experience one or more adverse childhood experiences
(ACEs) by age 18. ACEs drive physiological and behavioral changes, reduced coping and increased stress,
predisposing adults to cardiometabolic disease. However, the influence of ACEs on CMH in adolescence
remains unclear, and intervention strategies to reduce ACEs-related CMH risk are underdeveloped.
Adolescence is an ideal time to examine to identify the ACEs most strongly associated with CMH and develop
interventions to interrupt the ACEs-CMH pathway, before adolescents transition into adulthood.
Specific Aims: 1) Determine the relationship between ACEs, CMH-related behaviors, and CMH in
adolescents; 2) Adapt a Coping and Stress Reduction (CEDARS) intervention for adolescents with ACEs in a
pediatric clinic setting; 3) Pilot the adapted CEDARS, tailored to ACE-exposed adolescents in a clinical setting.
Research Plan: To accomplish these aims, Dr. Heard-Garris will collect ACEs and CMH data from
adolescents and conduct analyses to better characterize the ACEs-CMH pathway; adapt the CEDARS to be
used within a clinical setting through focus groups; and implement, and evaluate the CEDARS.
Career Development Plan: Dr. Heard-Garris will learn to integrate medical and social science methodological
approaches to study ACEs and CMH. She will acquire expertise in adolescent CMH and develop competency
in positive-emotion, stress-reduction interventions. Dr. Heard-Garris will broaden her professional skills. Dr.
Heard-Garris’s career development goals will be well-supported by an interdisciplinary core mentorship team;
guidance from an expert advisory panel; experiential lab immersions; advanced didactic course work;
attendance at professional meetings; participation in seminars; and implementation of her research plan. This
training will directly contribute to her goal of designing effective interventions that address CMH in at-risk
adolescents, as well as the subsequent submission of a successful R34 clinical trial planning grant and R01.
Environment: Dr. Heard-Garris has a NIH-funded core mentorship and advisory team who are dedicated to
mentoring her to independence. She is supported by Northwestern University and Lurie Children’s Hospital,
both with outstanding research infrastructures a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10225581
- **Project number:** 5K01HL147995-03
- **Recipient organization:** LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Nia Jenee' Heard-Garris
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $162,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10225581

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10225581, ACHiP-ACEs and Cardiometabolic Health in Pediatrics: Using a Coping and Stress Reduction Intervention to Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents with Adversity (5K01HL147995-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10225581. Licensed CC0.

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