This project aims to investigate cardiovascular risk, vascular remodelling and associated biological pathways using UK Biobank data. The research will integrate clinical characteristics, biochemical markers and genetic information to identify factors related to vascular dysfunction, atherosclerosis progression and restenosis-related outcomes.
The study will address the following questions:
1. What clinical and biochemical features are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and vascular remodelling?
2. How do inflammation-related and metabolic pathways contribute to vascular ageing and disease progression?
3. Can genetic variants or polygenic risk scores improve the prediction of cardiovascular events and stratify individuals at higher risk?
Objectives:
* To perform population-level analyses of cardiovascular risk factors using baseline characteristics, biochemical assays, clinical outcomes and hospital records.
* To evaluate associations between metabolic or lysosomal-related biomarkers (where available) and vascular outcomes.
* To integrate genetic information to identify shared pathways and potential causal mechanisms through statistical and epidemiological methods.
Scientific rationale:
Cardiovascular disease remains a major global health burden. Vascular remodelling, inflammation and metabolic dysregulation contribute significantly to disease progression, yet population-level data on these pathways remain limited. UK Biobank provides an unparalleled dataset that enables large-scale, multi-dimensional investigation of these mechanisms. Findings from this project may improve understanding of disease pathophysiology and support the development of improved risk-stratification strategies.
All analyses will be conducted for academic, non-commercial purposes. No attempt will be made to identify participants.