# SPARKLED: Social Programming Affects Risk in Kids of Latent Endothelial Disease

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $40,352

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. The burden of
poor cardiovascular health falls disproportionately on impoverished and non-White communities where
structural racism limits access to quality care, thus impacting health outcomes. Social health programming
(SHP) is an intervention designed to mitigate adverse social experiences by empowering communities to
address modifiable risk factors for poor health. SHP for adolescents has been shown to improve health
outcomes and mitigate certain cardiometabolic risk factors, including poor nutrition and exposure to
psychosocial stressors. However, the long-term impacts of adolescent participation in SHP on cardiovascular
health and its impact on future pregnancies are not known. In this proposal, we will partner with a nationally
recognized after-school program offering SHP (Girls Inc., Omaha) to address this gap in the scientific literature.
We hypothesize that SHP with nutritional and emotional resiliency components will positively impact
adolescent modifiers of adult cardiovascular disease. To test this hypothesis, we will compare nutritional
antioxidant status (Specific Aim 1), hair/saliva cortisol levels (Specific Aim 2), and vascular elasticity (Specific
Aim 3) in current/former SHP participants versus age-matched controls. Dietary patterns and emotional
resiliency will be measured using validated questionnaires. Nutritional antioxidant status (a marker of
cardiovascular inflammation) will be measured using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry
(LC-MS/MS). Cortisol levels (a marker of psychological stress) will be measured in hair and saliva using
enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Vascular reactivity (a marker of latent endothelial disease) with be
measured using a VENDYS® test. Our research will inform the design of SHP for adolescents and contribute to
the elimination of sociodemographic disparities in maternal mortality via the mitigation of cardiovascular
complications. In addition to this dissertation research, I have developed a training plan to enrich my scientific
and professional development as a physician-scientist trainee at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
(UNMC). I will achieve the following training goals: build foundational knowledge and technical skills in
pediatric health disparities, develop capacity to independently design and implement research projects, master
written and verbal scientific communication skills, and integrate my clinical and scientific skillsets. Throughout
my graduate training, UNMC will provide essential coursework, grant writing workshops, seminars, and other
skill-building opportunities that enhance my technical expertise and professional development. Altogether, the
research and training opportunities outlined in this proposal will empower me to become an adept physician-
scientist and an innovative leader in the field of pediatric health disparities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10466581
- **Project number:** 1F30MD017527-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Rebecca Anne Drakowski
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $40,352
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-06-19 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10466581

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10466581, SPARKLED: Social Programming Affects Risk in Kids of Latent Endothelial Disease (1F30MD017527-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10466581. Licensed CC0.

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