# PHRIES (Potatoes, Hypertension RIsk and Endothelial function Study)

> **NIH NIH K23** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $172,800

## Abstract

Project Summary
After obtaining a fellowship award from the American Heart Association, my interest in the link between diet
and hypertension continued to grow. During my renal fellowship, I have presented the findings of my research
as oral and poster presentations at national meetings. I have been fortunate to collaborate with experts in the
fields of nutrition, epidemiology (Drs. Walter Willett and Eric Rimm) and hypertension (Dr. John Forman).
Graduating with a Master in Medical Sciences from the Master's Program of Clinical and Translational
Investigation at Harvard Medical School (HMS), I have continued several collaborations at Harvard facilities.
These collaborations have culminated in the publishing of peer-review articles. Nearing the end of my
fellowship, I was appointed as an Associate physician in the renal division at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
My long-term career goal is to become an independent clinical investigator in the fields of nutrition and
hypertension. To attain my academic career goal, my short-term goal is to continue my intense training in
patient-oriented research. It is with an outstanding advisory committee of unique experts and detailed planned
training activities, that the K23 grant will allow me to become an independent clinical investigator. Advanced
coursework in nutritional epidemiology and the science of nutrition as well as leadership development
workshops for physician-scientists at HMS, will ensure my development as a patient-oriented researcher.
During the fellowship award, we found an 11% higher risk of hypertension with increasing potato consumption.
We also found an increased cross-sectional relation between endothelial-dependent vasodilation (a test for
endothelial function) and recent intake of potatoes in the Modifiable Effectors of Renin System Activation
Treatment Evaluation (MODERATE) trial. Therefore, in this proposal, we intend to replicate our preliminary
findings in a racially diverse prospective cohort: the Coronary Artery Disease Development in Young Adults
(CARDIA; N=5,115 participants, 51.4% black) followed for more than 20 years with dietary questionnaires and
physical exams. Also, we will analyze the association of potatoes intake in children and adolescents of two
prospective longitudinal cohorts of children and adolescents, the Growing Up Today Studies (GUTS: N=16,882
and GUTS II: N=10,923) with the incidence of hypertension in young adulthood. To better understand the
mechanism of the association of potatoes intake with hypertension, we will assess increasing intake of
potatoes with inflammatory and endothelial function biomarkers in CARDIA as well as three longitudinal
prospective cohorts of US women and men (Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II and Health
Professional Follow-up Study). We also propose the Potatoes, Hypertension RIsk and Endothelial function
Study (PHRIES) trial, a 4-week randomized crossover feeding trial, where we will examine the effects of one
additio...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9918448
- **Project number:** 5K23HL133842-04
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Lea Borgi
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $172,800
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-05-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9918448

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9918448, PHRIES (Potatoes, Hypertension RIsk and Endothelial function Study) (5K23HL133842-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9918448. Licensed CC0.

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