By Kara Kuczun
The University of Louisville recently received a $7 million grant from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for environmental cardiology research. The grant money will be used to study the effect of two highly reactive and common aldehydes that are present in air, water and food on the cardiovascular system.
The environmental cardiology grant is the first of its kind to be awarded to the University of Louisville said Duane Bolanowski, reserch manager at the Department for Cardiology. When the university applied for the grant it was reviewed by the awarding agency and scored based on scientific merit. Very few of this type of grant get funded each year and the University of Louisville competes with “major” scientific universities such as Harvard and Duke, said Bolanowski.
“For us to get a grant over such established institutions as these indicates that the University of Louisville is starting to be recognized for its ability to do cutting edge research and hopefully this will allow others at the university to be able to get the respect and funding they deserve,” Bolanowski said.
Environmental cardiology is the study of the effect of exposure to environmental elements, such as particulates or chemical exposure on the cardiovascular system. The exposure to these elements can come from inhalation or ingestion. The goal of the research performed under this grant is to try to determine how aldehydes affect the cardiovascular system. By finding these aldehydes, ways to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of exposure to them can be determined said Bolanowski.
The grant was received after two years of work and much dedication of members at the university. In order to apply for this particular grant the university had to generate preliminary scientific data and get administrative support of all departments involved. A grant proposal, which outlined why environmental cardiology is important, how the university plans to accomplish its goals, and why it is qualified to do the work, was also prepared to be considered for the funding.
Bolanowski said the qualifications for the grant were numerous, but the major difference between this grant and a single project grant is that a minimum of three projects are required. These individual projects do not necessarily have to answer a large question themselves, but will complement each other when combined and in doing so will advance the area of study, he added.
The environmental cardiology project will be broken down into four individual projects. The first, “Aldehyde Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease” will be headed up by Dr. Russell Prow. The second project, “Atherogonic Effects of Environmental Aldehydes” will be lead by Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar. Dr. Stanley D’Souza will preside over the third project, “Role of Platelet Activation and Vascular Pathology in Aldehyde Toxicity.” The fourth project, “Acute and Chronic Cardiotoxicity of Aldehydes” will be led by Dr. Sumanth Prabhu. Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar is the overall environmental cardiology leader and will direct all projects.
The research project will also allow opportunities to students, never before received at the university. Bolanowski said the projects will involve senior faculty, junior faculty, post docs, graduate students and assorted laboratory personnel.
“It [the grant] says that all the programs that have been established to increase the research capabilities are starting to pay off,” Bolanowski said. “This grant also indicates that the people who have been working hard for a number of years to establish the University of Louisville as a research institution are finally able to see that work come to fruition.”
