Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, a researcher with the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS) at St. Boniface Hospital Research, has received $1,032,750 over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to investigate the connection between disrupted circadian rhythms and heart disease. This work has the potential to lead to new treatments that reduce cardiovascular risks for individuals with irregular sleep patterns, such as shift workers.
“It’s known that shift workers have a 40 per cent higher risk of heart attacks, but we can’t eliminate shift work,” Rabinovich-Nikitin said. “Our research aims to develop therapies that help protect the heart when circadian rhythms are disrupted.”
Preliminary findings from her team suggest that a misaligned circadian rhythm alters lipid metabolism and leads to the accumulation of lipids in the heart. This imbalance may contribute to heart failure following a heart attack. The newly funded study will explore for the first time how circadian genes regulate lipid metabolism and heart disease with a focus on differences between women and men. The work will also explore how targeting circadian clock could improve heart function after a heart attack.
Dr. Lorrie Kirshenbaum, Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, emphasized the significance of this research.
“Understanding the role of circadian rhythms in heart health is a critical and emerging area of study,” Kirshenbaum said. “Dr. Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research could pave the way for innovative treatments that protect particularly women, who are at greater risk of heart disease, an area that historically has been under-studied.”