Exploring the link between obesity and heart failure using genetics

Heart failure is a condition that develops when the heart unable to pump blood around the body as well as it should. It is most common in older people but can develop at any age. It is a long-term condition, and it tends to get worse over time.

Someone living with heart failure usually cannot be cured but they should be able to manage the symptoms they are experiencing. The main symptoms of heart failure are:

• Feeling breathless when active or resting
• Swelling affecting the feet and ankles
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Feeling increasingly tired or weak at rest

Obesity is a risk factor for heart failure. However, we don’t yet fully understand how obesity impacts the development or progression of heart failure.

Project aims

This project will use human genetics and data collected from people over many years to improve our understanding of heart failure. We will focus on identifying the links between obesity (excess fat) and the development and progression of heart failure.

What we hope to achieve

Identifying critical pathways on the road from obesity to heart failure could help us improve the treatments offered to people living with heart failure.

This PhD project is being undertaken by Dr Nicholas Sunderland, as lead researcher, with Professor Tom Gaunt, Dr Lavinia Paternoster and Dr Tom Lumbers (UCL) providing supervision.