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Approved research

Genetic, environmental and clinical determinants of blood pressure, kidney health and disease.

Principal Investigator: Professor Maciej Tomaszewski
Approved Research ID: 46114
Approval date: November 4th 2019

Lay summary

High blood pressure and kidney disease are the main threats to human health and the key contributors to premature death. The predisposition to the development of both high blood pressure and kidney disease is partly determined at birth (through DNA inherited from both parents) and partly through the lifestyle and environmental factors. However, the precise mechanisms of their interactions in relation to high blood pressure and kidney disease are not clear. Our objective is to characterise these interactions, gain new insights into the biology of both diseases and to build up new predictive models of high blood pressure and kidney disease. We will utilise genetic information derived from Axiom array and exome sequencing, data on environmental exposure and lifestyle choices and various dimensions of the collected clinical information in relation to blood pressure and measures of kidney health. We intend to start our analysis in April 2019 and we anticipate it will take up to 3 years. This project will provide the explanation for why people show significant differences in blood pressure and kidney health and why certain individuals are more susceptible to high blood pressure and kidney disease. This in turn will improve our understanding of cardiovascular and renal system with a potential for improved treatment of hypertension and chronic kidney disease.