Hey everyone! As a refresher, we are one of two group projects in this year’s IDEA Grant pool. Our project is investigating the potentially harmful effects of naturally occurring molecules in our bodies called reactive oxygen species (ROS). A large source of these molecules is an enzyme called NADPH Oxidase (NOX), which may be more active in some people. Notably, individuals with cardiovascular disease tend to have elevated levels of these molecules. Using the Hickner Lab’s novel microdialysis technique, we are able to measure ROS levels and their correlation with rate of blood flow in real time using real human subjects.
This research is important considering that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death among adults in the United States. Typically, proper nutrition and exercise are the first-line preventative measures taken to mitigate the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. While these are certainly effective, cardiovascular disease still remains quite prevalent and continued research is necessary on the subject. In furthering knowledge on this potential underlying contributor towards cardiovascular disease, new preventative interventions can be discovered to fight this epidemic.
In terms of relation to my specific discipline, this research is incredibly relevant to my career goal of practicing as a physician. I (John) hope to become a primary care doctor, where preventative medicine (i.e. diet, exercise, stress, and mental health) is a large focus and, in my opinion, equally important as medication. Working on this project and other related ones in the Hickner Lab (which has an integrative focus on exercise and nutrition/metabolism) over the last 2+ years has really opened my eyes to the importance of these preventative measures and has inspired and solidified my desire to work in primary care. I hope to preach these preventative measures in the future as an equally important form of medicine. Again, in furthering the physiological understanding of cardiovascular disease, more preventative measures can be developed to prevent and treat the disease.
Hi all! This is Connor writing. Our research into the nature of ROS and its role in cardiovascular disease is a major topic not only in gaining better understanding of this important biomolecule, but also of what can make a difference in the lives of the people around us. Just as anyone knows from writing a paper, it takes time and a foundational idea to lay the ground work for the greater message being told. In this context, our research is laying that foundation in exploring the mechanism through which ROS works in the body and how that science can be applied to create lifesaving medications for those in need. This interplay is what made me choose to pursue a career in medicine and, from my time in physiological based research, made me want to pursue the field of cardiology. The relevance of cardiovascular research in developing the treatment plans that cardiologist use is akin to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You can’t have one without the other and they make a pairing that is too good to pass up. In essence, our research is creating the foundational understanding of how ROS works in order to beat the CVD epidemic.
This is the greater impact of our research that keeps us moving forward as well as keeps us looking to improve the lives of the people around us everyday.
Sequoia here. I think the impact of our research differs somewhat from typical medical and health orientated research because ours is very mechanistic, focusing on the pathway of molecules and reactions in our body. There may be no direct takeaway for healthcare practitioners from the results of our research, yet, if we confirm with a new method of measurement that NAPDH Oxidase (our protein of interest) is a large contributor of reactive oxygen species in the vascular tissue, future research on NAPDH Oxidase will have a stronger foundation. I think that’s a cool position to be in. It excites me to be working in new territory. Research like ours, that builds basic knowledge on the effects of NAPDH Oxidase, sets the foundation of future research into how we can target NAPDH Oxidase and the harmful ROS molecules and mitigate their effects.
HSF House Blogs 