NYITCOM-Arkansas’ Rajagopalan Receives $573K NIH Grant for Cardiovascular Disease Research

Viswanathan (Vishwa) Rajagopalan, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical and anatomical sciences at the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM-Arkansas), has been awarded a $573,750 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The funding[1] will further his research regarding the impact thyroid dysfunction has on cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death in the United States.

The grant allows Rajagopalan to expand his cardiovascular research program at NYITCOM-Arkansas. His most recent grant will specifically look at how thyroid hormones affect heart health, focusing on the key role played by molecules called non-coding RNAs.

“Thyroid dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and, in some patient populations, a higher rate of deaths,” Rajagopalan says. “The available treatment modalities alone can be insufficient to manage the complex cardiovascular disease. The intent of this project is to better understand the molecular mechanisms and biomechanics of what’s happening so we can find novel and safe RNA-based therapies and improve treatments for CVD.”

Medical students will also have the opportunity to work with him on this project. Robert “Drew” Fleming, Ph.D., an associate professor of mechanical engineering at A-State, will work alongside Rajagopalan as a significant contributor on the project. “Our research faculty continue to do outstanding work, and we’re delighted to once again see that recognized through significant federal funding,” says Shane Speights, D.O., site dean of NYITCOM-Arkansas. “Congratulations to Dr. Rajagopalan on yet another well-deserved award.” Earlier this year, Rajagopalan was named a Fellow of the American Heart Association in recognition of his work in cardiovascular research.

By Casey Pearce

[1] Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R15HL173850. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.