An evaluation for early stage atherosclerosis or the pre-disposition to developing accelerated cardiovascular disease when exposed to the environmental and psychological stresses of space is important in the pre-mission evaluation of astronauts. The negative impact of an acute atherosclerotic complication such as acute coronary syndrome or stroke during a long-duration low-earth orbit (ISS) mission or deep space exploration expedition could be potentially profound.
Dr. Jonathan R. Lindner leads a multidisciplinary team of investigators with expertise in clinical cardiovascular medicine, non-invasive imaging of atherosclerosis, and “omics” analyses (metabolomics, lipidomics, and genomics) in order to reveal molecular patterns of high risk for atherosclerotic progression and instability. The research will reveal how microvascular testing and “omics” analysis can be used in combination with imaging of the coronary arteries in otherwise asymptomatic individuals to further stratify risk for accelerated cardiovascular disease.