JONESBORO, Ark. — A researcher at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) at Arkansas State University has been awarded a $573,750 federal grant to study the impacts of thyroid dysfunction on cardiovascular health.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the R15 grant to Vishwa Rajagopalan, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical and anatomical sciences at NYITCOM at Arkansas State. The funding will allow Dr. Rajagopalan to expand his research program, focusing on the role of thyroid hormones in heart health and the involvement of noncoding RNAs, which regulate biological processes without producing proteins.

“Thyroid dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and, in some patient populations, a higher rate of deaths,” Rajagopalan explained. “The available treatment options can sometimes fall short in managing the complex nature of cardiovascular disease. This project aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms and biomechanics at play, potentially leading to novel and safe RNA-based therapies to improve treatments for cardiovascular disease.”

The research will be conducted at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute located on the Arkansas State campus in Jonesboro. Students from both NYITCOM and A-State’s biological sciences and engineering programs will have opportunities to participate in the project. Robert “Drew” Fleming, Ph.D., an associate professor of mechanical engineering at A-State, will contribute significantly to the research.

Shane Speights, D.O., dean of NYITCOM at Arkansas State, commended Rajagopalan’s achievement: “Our research faculty continue to do outstanding work, and we’re delighted to once again see that recognized through significant federal funding. Congratulations to Dr. Rajagopalan on yet another well-deserved award.”

Dr. Rajagopalan was also named a fellow of the American Heart Association earlier this year in recognition of his contributions to cardiovascular research. His career began at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in India, where he worked in the nation’s pioneering heart transplant program. He earned his clinical and cardiothoracic training and a degree from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science before completing postdoctoral studies at Stanford University Medical Center.

The grant, awarded by the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was issued under award number R15HL173850.