MALIN ENARSSON - The Omics of Physical Activity in the Cardiovascular Continuum
PhD project
participating in the National Research School in General Medicine.
The overall aim of the present proposal is to use large scale microbiomics, genomics, proteomics and metabolomics data in multiple cohorts in order to identify novel underlying mechanisms for the beneficial effects of physical activity on the development of cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, identification of novel underlying mechanisms that could improve the diagnosis, prognostication, prevention and treatment of these cardiovascular diseases would have major public health implications. The beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors and disease are well documented, yet the underlying mechanisms by which physical activity prevents disease and improves health are poorly understood.
Multiomics is a high-throughput technology profiling multiple layers of the biological system including for example protein levels (proteomics), metabolite levels (metabolomics) and microbiome level (microbiomics). It is an advanced technology that enables generation of large amount of biological data we have not had access to before. It provides new possibilities for examining complex molecular relationship.
The present proposal utilizes multiple independent study cohorts with comprehensive data on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and accelerometer-based data, in combination with omics-data. One study will examine gut microbiome which is a new interesting field and the interplay between physical activity and the gut microbiome is an emerging research area.
We anticipate that this proposal will explore new mechanisms for cardiovascular disease and will improve our understanding of the beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular health.
University affiliation
Karolinska Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Main supervisor
Johan Ärnlöv, Professor in Family Medicine and Centre for Clinical research Dalarna, General practitioner Region Dalarna