Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are a major public health concern as the leading cause of death and as a major source of racial/ethnic health disparities. Because CVD is a multi-factorial disease, a true understanding of its etiology requires investigations of interactions among many genetic and environmental factors. Thus, the overall goal of this study is to advance our understanding of how multi-level factors (from genes to neighborhoods) synergistically affect CVD.
The specific aims of the proposed research are to: 1) develop measures of neighborhood socioeconomic, built/physical, and social environments, 2) examine cross- sectional and longitudinal associations between genetic and neighborhood factors, and their interactions in relation to CVD risk factors, and 3) examine racial/ethnic differences in CVD risk factors and determine if these differences are explained by neighborhood-gene interactions.
These aims will be achieved through the merging of data from the Research Program on Genes, Environment, and Health (RPGEH), with data derived from available sources on neighborhoods and the built environment. The RPGEH is one of the largest research resources in the U.S. designed to examine genetic and environmental determinants of common diseases. The candidate, Mahasin Mujahid, is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley. The proposed NHLBI Mentored Career Development Award (K01) will provide Dr. Mujahid with the unique opportunity to augment her current expertise in general epidemiology, social epidemiology, and population health with new training in cardiovascular pathophysiology, genetic epidemiology, and statistical genetics. Moreover, Dr. Mujahid will receive the necessary support and training to work towards her long-term career goal of establishing an independent research program on the social epidemiology of cardiovascular disease with an emphasis on the underlying biological, genetic, and epigenetic pathways linking social factors to CVD.

Public Health Relevance

The results of this research project and future studies may enhance our understanding of how factors operating at multiple levels (from genes to neighborhoods) interact to increase CVD risk in multi-ethnic populations.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01HL115494-02
Application #
8514721
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-F (M1))
Program Officer
Papanicolaou, George
Project Start
2012-08-01
Project End
2017-06-30
Budget Start
2013-07-01
Budget End
2014-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$137,511
Indirect Cost
$10,186
Name
University of California Berkeley
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
124726725
City
Berkeley
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94704
Mujahid, Mahasin S; Moore, Latetia V; Petito, Lucia C et al. (2017) Neighborhoods and racial/ethnic differences in ideal cardiovascular health (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Health Place 44:61-69
Zhang, Y Tara; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Laraia, Barbara A et al. (2017) Association Between Neighborhood Supermarket Presence and Glycated Hemoglobin Levels Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Am J Epidemiol 185:1297-1303
Tamayo, Aracely; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Laraia, Barbara et al. (2016) Police-Recorded Crime and Perceived Stress among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE). J Urban Health 93:745-757
Zhang, Y Tara; Laraia, Barbara A; Mujahid, Mahasin S et al. (2016) Is a reduction in distance to nearest supermarket associated with BMI change among type 2 diabetes patients? Health Place 40:15-20
Tamayo, Aracely; Karter, Andrew J; Mujahid, Mahasin S et al. (2016) Associations of perceived neighborhood safety and crime with cardiometabolic risk factors among a population with type 2 diabetes. Health Place 39:116-21