B2163 - Using Mendelian Randomisation to assess causal links between metabolic traits and vascular dysfunction in the young - 13/02/2014

B number: 
B2163
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Tauseef Ahmad Khan (University College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Nic Timpson (University of Bristol, UK), Dr Kaitlin Wade (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Using Mendelian Randomisation to assess causal links between metabolic traits and vascular dysfunction in the young.
Proposal summary: 

Objectives

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants associated with body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) in both adults and children (Speliotes 2012, and the International Consortium for Blood Pressure GWAS 2011).

We, at Vascular Physiology Unit, have shown that although greater childhood obesity is associated with adverse metabolic risk factors, there was no evidence of vascular damage by obesity at age 9-11 years in the ALSPAC subjects. Systolic BP was strongly associated with greater adiposity and also increased vascular dysfunction at that age (Charakida 2012). The causal direction and nature of the association between BMI and BP is unclear at this age.

I will investigate the effect of BMI, BP and other metabolic traits on vascular dysfunction ain the young by using a combination of Mendelian randomization and conventional analyses to unravel the complex association between BMI, SBP, metabolic traits and their causal role in vascular dysfunction.

I will be working in collaboration with Kaitlin Wade (PhD student at Bristol) on this project.

Date proposal received: 
Friday, 7 February, 2014
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 13 February, 2014
Keywords: 
Cardiovascular , BMI
Primary keyword: 
Mendelian Randomisation