Project description
What does our gut tell us about cardiovascular disease?
A growing amount of evidence points to the association between gut microbiota and cardiovascular diseases. The overall goal of the EU-funded GUTSY project is to assess causative links between gut microbiota and atherosclerotic disease and to identify accessible biomarkers for gut microbiota that enhance atherosclerosis. The project will define the microbiota characteristics associated with atherosclerosis using coronary computed tomography, angiography, and high-resolution carotid ultrasound in a study based on a population of 10 000 individuals. The microbiota will be characterised by next-generation sequencing in faecal samples. Plasma biomarkers associated with atherosclerosis-enhancing microbiota will be identified by metabolomics profiling, and genetic analysis will be carried out to clarify the causal effects of gut microbiota characteristics on cardiovascular diseases.
Objective
Atherosclerosis is the main pathological mechanism causing myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Evidence has mounted about the association between the gut microbiota and cardiovascular disease, but whether the associations are causal is largely unknown. For optimal prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, there is an urgent need to determine whether there are any true effects that might be targeted by interventions. The overall goal of this project is to assess causality between gut microbiota and atherosclerotic disease and to provide easily accessible biomarkers for an atherosclerosis-enhancing gut microbiota. To this end, the research program has three main objectives:
1.) Identification of gut microbiota characteristics associated with atherosclerosis measured by coronary computed tomography angiography and high-resolution carotid ultrasound in a population-based sample of 10,000 individuals and through prospective follow-up for myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. The microbiota will be characterized by next-generation sequencing techniques in faecal samples.
2.) Identification of plasma biomarkers associated with an atherosclerosis- enhancing microbiota using comprehensive metabolomics profiling of 800 named metabolites in plasma from 800 individuals with replication in additional 800 individuals
3.) Clarification of the causal effects of gut microbiota characteristics on atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and stroke by development of novel genetic instruments and applying Mendelian Randomization analysis
I have access to unique study materials and documented experience of successful projects using large scale -omics data and state-of-the-art epidemiological methodologies. My project is expected to lead to the identification of characteristics of an atherosclerosis-enhancing gut microbiota and associated plasma biomarkers that may open up new avenues for effective prevention of atherosclerotic disease.
Fields of science
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Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
751 05 Uppsala
Sweden