# Epigenetic biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in African American Women

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2024 · $324,440

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The main goal of this project is to assess the contribution of epigenetics to cardiovascular risk in African
American women. Cardiovascular disease substantially impacts African American women, who are at high-risk
for mortality and complications. Genome-wide association studies have identified several genetic loci for
coronary heart disease and stroke, but the epigenetic contribution to cardiovascular disease has been less
studied, especially in African Americans and women. Epigenetic modification such as DNA methylation may
better reflect lifestyle and environmentally induced risks, including risk due to lifestyle and behavioral factors,
biological aging and environmental toxins. We propose to study epigenetic biomarkers of cardiovascular
disease in a large sample of African American participants the Women's Health Initiative, a cohort of
postmenopausal women with comprehensive clinical and lifestyle data, and large numbers of adjudicated
clinical outcomes. We will identify epigenetic biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and its environmental
determinants, and evaluate if epigenetic biomarkers contribute to risk prediction assessments of cardiovascular
disease. The proposal aligns to goals set forth in the 2019-2023 Trans-NIH Strategy Plan for Women's Health
Research and the NHLBI mission to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in populations with
disparities in disease risk.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10980105
- **Project number:** 1R01HL175681-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Andres Cardenas
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $324,440
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-17 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10980105

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10980105, Epigenetic biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in African American Women (1R01HL175681-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10980105. Licensed CC0.

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