# Vascular hemodynamics and markers of preclinical and subclinical vascular brain injury and dementia

> **NIH NIH K01** · VASSAR COLLEGE · 2024 · $146,459

## Abstract

Project Summary
This K01 proposal describes the career development activities and research plan that will facilitate the
candidate's transition to an independent investigator in the areas of vascular hemodynamics, vascular brain
injury, and dementia. The candidate has a background in cardiovascular physiology and epidemiology,
including training in quantitative methods and primary and secondary analysis of vascular hemodynamics data
from arterial tonometry and ultrasound. The grant will provide the applicant with additional needed training in
neurovascular and brain imaging (i.e., magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography),
vascular and Alzheimer's disease dementia, bioethics, and grantsmanship through a combination of immersive
training, coursework, mentoring, and selected readings. The candidate has assembled a team of
multidisciplinary mentors and advisors who have an outstanding record of academic achievement and
research expertise in the areas of vascular hemodynamics, target organ damage, vascular brain injury, and
dementia. Additionally, the mentoring team members have extensive experience in mentoring junior faculty
toward research independence.
The proposed research will contribute to the field and complement the candidate's plan for career development
training activities. The research activities will capitalize on the candidate's emerging expertise and experience
in vascular hemodynamics and epidemiology with the mentors' and advisors' expertise in neurovascular
function, preclinical dementia, and subclinical brain injury. The research includes multiple specific aims that will
be achieved over the course of the award period. The aims include: (1) To assess relations of measures of
aortic stiffness, pressure pulsatility, and microvascular function with preclinical β-amyloid and tau burden in the
brain in Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Third Generation participants; (2) To assess relations of measures of
aortic stiffness and pressure pulsatility with longitudinal progression of subclinical brain vascular injury in FHS
Third Generation participants; and (3) To assess relations of measures of aortic stiffness and pressure
pulsatility with (A) markers of cerebrovascular remodeling and (B) preclinical β-amyloid burden in the brain in a
pilot subset of black/African-American participants in the Jackson Heart Study. This work seeks to elucidate
nascent vascular factors that contribute to the pathophysiology of vascular brain injury and dementia, which
may represent novel targets for prevention. Additionally, this work seeks to increase our understanding of
health disparities of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10754546
- **Project number:** 5K01HL161494-03
- **Recipient organization:** VASSAR COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Leroy Leon Cooper
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $146,459
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-01-01 → 2026-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10754546

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10754546, Vascular hemodynamics and markers of preclinical and subclinical vascular brain injury and dementia (5K01HL161494-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10754546. Licensed CC0.

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