# Leveraging omics data to understand sleep health and its consequences among diverse Hispanics/Latinos

> **NIH NIH R01** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $737,631

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Hispanics/Latinos are the fastest growing demographic group in the U.S., expected to comprise 24% of the US
population by 2060. Latinos experience high rates of health disparities, including a high burden of diabetes
mellitus (DM), uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), obesity, and Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementias.
The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a longitudinal cohort study established
in 2004, following ~16,500 US Latinos from four geographic areas and multiple Latino backgrounds (Mexican,
South American, Central American, Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican). We oversaw the collection and
analysis of sleep measures during the HCHS/SOL baseline exam. Along with our colleagues, we identified a
high prevalence of sleep disorders which varied by social and behavioral factors and Latino background, and
were associated with incident DM, HTN, and cognitive decline and impairment.
This project will apply integrative and multi-disciplinary research methods to study biological mechanisms that
result in the sleep-related risk of DM, HTN, and cognitive decline across diverse Latinos. First, we will identify
methylation and metabolomics measures associated with sleep phenotypes and characterize them biologically.
We further identify a subset of these omics measures that are linked to modifiable lifestyle and sociocultural
measures. Second, we will develop metabolomics and methylation biomarkers of sleep by combining
information across multiple markers. We will study the association of such biomarkers with incident outcomes
(DM, HTN, cognitive decline and impairment). Third, we will estimate the effect of sleep phenotypes on
modifying genetic risks for DM, HTN, and cognitive outcomes using a gene-by-sleep interaction analysis with
polygenic risk scores for each outcome. We will also perform multi-omics analyses synthesizing multiple omics
measures to understand biological pathways. Finally, we will apply causal analysis to quantify the potential
reduction in risks of incident DM, HTN, and cognitive decline and impairment following potential intervention on
sleep phenotypes, under the assumption that metabolomics and genetic pathways can be blocked. We will
estimate these effects in aggregate and across Latino backgrounds. Our work will lead to the development of
public health interventions at the community-(e.g., in Latinos of Mexican origin) and patient-level by identifying
individuals (e.g., based on specific genetic or metabolomic profiles) who would benefit most from improving
their sleep.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10516256
- **Project number:** 1R01HL161012-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Tamar Sofer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $737,631
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10516256

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10516256, Leveraging omics data to understand sleep health and its consequences among diverse Hispanics/Latinos (1R01HL161012-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10516256. Licensed CC0.

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