A5066111781- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
- Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Genetic Syndromes and Imprinting
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Gene expression and cancer classification
- Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
- Chronic Disease Management Strategies
- Folate and B Vitamins Research
- Health disparities and outcomes
- Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
- Dietary Effects on Health
- Renal Diseases and Glomerulopathies
- Acute Ischemic Stroke Management
- Congenital heart defects research
- Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
University of Alabama at Birmingham
2016-2025
Harvard University
2022-2024
Chulalongkorn University
2023-2024
Massachusetts General Hospital
2022-2024
University of Vermont
2022-2023
University of Manitoba
2023
Johns Hopkins University
2023
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
2023
Karolinska Institutet
2023
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2022
Abstract Background Biological aging estimators derived from DNA methylation data are heritable and correlate with morbidity mortality. Consequently, identification of genetic environmental contributors to the variation in these measures populations has become a major goal field. Results Leveraging SNP more than 40,000 individuals, we identify 137 genome-wide significant loci, which 113 novel, association study (GWAS) meta-analyses four epigenetic clocks surrogate markers for granulocyte...
Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a worldwide scourge caused by both genetic and environmental risk factors that disproportionately afflicts communities of color. Leveraging existing large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS), polygenic scores (PRS) have shown promise to complement established clinical intervention paradigms, improve early diagnosis prevention T2D. However, date, T2D PRS been most widely developed validated in individuals European descent. Comprehensive...
The goal of an AIDS vaccine regimen designed to induce cellular immune responses should be reduce the viral set point and preserve memory CD4 lymphocytes. Here we investigated whether vaccine-induced immunity in absence any Env-specific antibodies can control replication following multiple low-dose challenges with highly pathogenic SIVmac239 isolate. Eight Mamu-A*01-positive Indian rhesus macaques were vaccinated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) gag, tat, rev, nef using a DNA...
Mitochondria (MT), the major site of cellular energy production, are under dual genetic control by 37 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes and numerous nuclear (MT-nDNA). In CHARGEmtDNA+ Consortium, we studied associations mtDNA MT-nDNA with body mass index (BMI), waist-hip-ratio (WHR), glucose, insulin, HOMA-B, HOMA-IR, HbA1c. This 45-cohort collaboration comprised 70,775 (insulin) to 170,202 (BMI) pan-ancestry individuals. Validation imputation variants was followed single-variant gene-based...
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are linked to cardiometabolic diseases and neurologic outcomes, such as cognitive decline stroke. However, it is unclear whether food processing confers risk independent of dietary pattern information. We aimed (1) investigate associations between UPFs incident impairment stroke (2) compare these with other commonly recommended patterns in the REasons for Geographic Racial Differences Stroke study. This prospective, observational cohort study enrolled Black White...
Life-long lack of growth hormone (GH) action can produce remarkable extension longevity in mice. Here we report that GH treatment limited to a few weeks during development influences the lifespan long-lived Ames dwarf and normal littermate control mice genotype sex-specific manner. Studies separate cohort show this short period exposure early produces persistent phenotypic, metabolic molecular changes are evident late adult life. These effects may represent mechanisms responsible for reduced...
The high prevalence of obesity among US adults has resulted in significant increases associated metabolic disorders such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and blood pressure. Together, these constitute syndrome, a clinically defined condition highly prevalent African-Americans. Identifying epigenetic alterations with syndrome may provide additional information regarding etiology beyond current evidence from genome-wide association studies. Data on DNA methylation was assessed 614 African-Americans...
Introduction: Obesity increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, several types cancer, and other age-related disorders. Among older adults, obesity is also related to epigenetic age, typically measured with DNA methylation (DNAm). Because less known about aging earlier in lifespan, this study examined relationship between DNAm young adulthood whether these relationships vary by sex. Methods: A cross-sectional community sample 290 healthy adults (mean age 27.39 years, 60%...
In the United States, risk of stroke is greater among Black compared with that White individuals. However, reasons for difference in incidence are not fully elucidated. We aimed to identify metabolites account higher prevalent hypertension and incident ischemic adults.
Background Sex disparities exist in cardiometabolic diseases. Metabolomic profiling offers insight into disease mechanisms, as the metabolome is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. We identified metabolites associated with sex determined if sex‐associated are incident stoke, coronary heart disease, prevalent hypertension, chronic kidney disease. Methods Results Targeted metabolomics was conducted for 357 REGARDS (Reasons Geographic Racial Differences Stroke) case‐cohort substudy...
Left ventricular (LV) mass and related phenotypes are heritable, important predictors of cardiovascular disease, particularly in hypertensive individuals.Identify genetic echocardiographic families.A multistage genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted hypertensive-ascertained black families (HyperGEN, stage I; GENOA, II); findings were replicated HyperGEN white (stage III). Echocardiograms collected using a common protocol, participants genotyped with the Affymetrix Genome-Wide...
Using data from 4 community-based cohorts of African Americans, we tested the association between genome-wide markers (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) and cardiac phenotypes in Candidate-gene Association Resource study.
Abstract Background DNA methylation (DNAm) is associated with gene regulation and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a measure of kidney function. Decreased eGFR more common among US Hispanics African Americans. The causes for this are poorly understood. We aimed to identify trans-ethnic ethnic-specific differentially methylated positions (DMPs) using an agnostic, genome-wide approach. Methods study included up 5428 participants from multi-ethnic studies discovery 8109 replication....
The built environment (BE) has been associated with health outcomes in prior studies. Few have investigated the association between neighborhood walkability, a component of BE, and hypertension. We examined walkability incident hypertension REasons for Geographic Racial Differences Stroke (REGARDS) Study. Walkability was measured using Street Smart Walk Score based on participants' residential information at baseline (collected 2003 2007) dichotomized as more (score ≥70) less <70)...
Objective While dietary intake is linked to stroke risk, surrogate markers that could inform personalized interventions are lacking. We identified metabolites associated with diet patterns and incident in a nested cohort from the REasons for Geographic Racial Differences Stroke (REGARDS) study. Methods Levels of 162 were measured baseline plasma cases (n = 1,198) random controls 904). examined associations between plant‐based pattern previously reduced risk REGARDS. Secondary analyses...
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) impacts about 1 in 7 adults the United States, but African Americans (AAs) carry a disproportionately higher burden of disease. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation at cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites, have been linked to function and may clinical utility predicting risk CKD. Given dynamic relationship between epigenome, environment, disease, AAs be especially sensitive environment-driven alterations. Moreover, models incorporating CpG shown...
The objective of this study was to investigate body composition changes with weight cycling (WC) among adult C57BL/6J mice diet-induced obesity.
Objective: Despite the known health benefits of weight loss among persons with obesity, observational studies have reported that cycles and regain, or cycling, are associated increased mortality. To study whether must be sustained to achieve longevity benefits, we performed a randomized controlled feeding cycling in mice. Methods: In early adult life, obese mice were ad libitum sustain calorie restriction “normal” intermediate body weight, (repeated episodes refeeding). Body composition,...
Abstract Background Differing opinions exist on whether associations obtained in observational studies can be reliable indicators of a causal effect if the study is sufficiently well controlled and executed. Materials methods To test this, we conducted two animal that were rigorously executed beyond what achieved humans. In 1, randomized 332 genetically identical C57 BL /6J mice into three diet groups with differing food energy allotments recorded individual self‐selected daily intake...
Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to stroke risk. We sought identify novel metabolites associated with incident in the Reasons for Geographic Racial Differences Stroke (REGARDS) cohort determine whether they reflected or variation.
Early pubertal timing is associated with adverse health in adulthood. These effects may be mediated by DNA methylation changes accelerated cellular aging and mortality risk, but few studies tested associations between epigenetic markers Additionally, often vary sex are understudied diverse youth. Thus, this longitudinal study examined links later risk together differences predominantly Black Participants included 350 individuals (58% female, 42% male; 80% Black, 19% non-Hispanic White)....
Acarbose, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor used in treating type 2 diabetes, impairs complex carbohydrate digestion and absorption extends life span mice (without a requisite reduction food intake). To assess sex-differential effects coincident with calorie restriction versus nonrestricted longevity enhancing intervention, we evaluated the metabolite profiles (by liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy) from livers cecal contents of C57BL/6J (n = 4/sex/group), which were maintained for 10...