This Project Grant award of $705,279 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) supports research conducted by Trustees of Boston University, doing business as Boston University Medical Campus, to investigate the effects of environmental pollutants on the cardiovascular system.
The key objectives are to: 1) characterize the impacts of environmental chemicals on human vascular function and angiogenesis; 2) examine how toxicants contribute to adipocyte dysfunction and promote an atherogenic secretome; and 3) test the ability of specific chemicals, such as the pesticide permethrin and polyethylene nanoplastics, to induce atherosclerosis in a mouse model. This multidisciplinary research will employ physiological studies, cellular imaging, molecular analyses, and in vivo exposure models to gain insights into the pathogenic mechanisms linking environmental pollutants to cardiovascular disease. The project aims to address an urgent clinical need for understanding how ubiquitous toxicants in American households adversely impact vascular health, with potential to inform public health policies.
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