# Mechanisms of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $476,300

## Abstract

This T32 Postdoctoral Training Program, Mechanisms of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases, has
been evolving since its inception in 1979. Additions to the training content to prepare a diverse group of
trainees to generate novel basic, clinical and population data to devise innovative strategies to prevent
and manage hypertension (HTN) and related cardiovascular disease (CVD) include these key
components: addition of 15 Mentors in Training (MiTs) to the T32 Mentoring Network (13 Assistant and 2
Associate Professors); multidisciplinary training exposures via Mini Rotations (trainees learn techniques and
concepts not offered within primary Mentor(s) lab; expansion of Interactive Mentoring and Training Modules
(Culturally-Relevant Mentoring, LEAD Program Cohorts, Grant/Manuscript Writing, Career Enhancement
Workshops, Mental Health & Wellness). Partnerships with the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational
Science (CCTS) and the UAB University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers (UWIRCs)-HTN
Research Center (HRC) and Center for Women’s Reproductive Health (CWRH) facilitate interdisciplinary
research, educational ingenuity and provide substantial resources. This Program offers a spectrum of
training in the following Thematic Focus Areas: Basic Science (training in fundamental mechanisms of
inflammatory vascular injury and repair and oxidative stress/free radical injury); Translational Science
(translation-to-humans, testing basic science discoveries for clinical applicability); Clinical Science (research
to improve knowledge and implementation of new therapies); Population Science (analysis of large-scale
population-based cohort studies). Of the 41 trainees in the past 15 years (12 female, 29 male, 39%
underrepresented minority (URM), 9 MD, 25 PhD, 6 MD/PhD, 1 DrPH), 30 (73%) hold academic positions
(Full, Associate or Assistant Professor, Instructor/Researcher), 8 (20%) are pursuing further training and 3
pursued other positions (physician-scientists). These trainees have 161 peer-reviewed publications, 93 as
first-author, many in leading journals (Circulation, Circ Res, J Biol Chem, Hypertension, J Clin Invest, PNAS
USA, Science). All 6 current trainees are female (50% URM). Our 33 Faculty Mentors (20 male, 13 female,
24 Professors, 6 Associate Professors, 3 Assistant Professors, 42% URM) from 3 Schools, 9 Departments
and 7 Divisions have robust and well funded research programs. Nearly $100K in institutional support is
committed to the Program. Trainees will spend 2-3 years in investigation, coursework, presentation/publication
of research and career enhancement. Importantly, this is the only postdoctoral training program in
Alabama, a state with a high rate of HTN and related CVD, that provides highly integrated “bench to
bedside” training in basic, clinical, population and implementation research in HTN and CVD. Our
overall goal is to address a shortage of scientists trained to use cutting edge approaches to problems related to
hyperte...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10269528
- **Project number:** 2T32HL007457-41A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Suzanne Oparil
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $476,300
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1980-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10269528

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10269528, Mechanisms of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases (2T32HL007457-41A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10269528. Licensed CC0.

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