Kari North

The North lab is motivated by human health concerns, with an overall goal of understanding the complex genetic and environmental etiology of common human diseases and their risk factors. To date, their research has primarily focused on identifying the genetic and environmental influences of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Moreover, they are particularly interested in exploring the interaction of genetic factors with environmental risk factors in the pathogenesis of CVD. The North lab participates in several national NIH-sponsored epidemiological studies including the Family Heart Study (coronary heart disease), the HyperGEN study (hypertension), and the Strong Heart Family Study (CVD). In the long term, their research aims to contribute important new information toward understanding the mechanistic basis of cardiovascular disease, and to broaden our understanding of the link between epidemiologic patterns and CVD biology. Furthermore, knowledge of susceptibility genotypes can be used to persuade individuals to avoid or limit exposure to CVD risk factors, target susceptible individuals for more intensive interventions, and provide genetically tailored therapies that will ultimately be more effective.

Selected Publications:
North KE, Franceschini N, Borecki IB, Gu CC, Heiss G, Province MA, Arnett DK, Lewis CE, Miller MB, Myers RH, Hunt SC, Freedman BI. (2007) Genotype-by-sex interaction on fasting insulin concentration: the HyperGEN study. Diabetes. 56:137-42.

Franceschini N, MacCluer JW, Goring HH, Cole SA, Rose KM, Almasy L, Diego V, Laston S, Lee ET, Howard BV, Best LG, Fabsitz RR, Roman MJ, North KE. (2006) A quantitative trait loci-specific gene-by-sex interaction on systolic blood pressure among American Indians: the Strong Heart Family Study. Hypertension. 48:266-70.

Tang W, Arnett DK, Province MA, Lewis CE, North K, Carr JJ, Pankow JS, Hopkins PN, Devereux RB, Wilk JB, Wagenknecht L; Investigators of the FHS and HyperGEN. (2006) Racial differences in the association of coronary calcified plaque with left ventricular hypertrophy: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study and Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network. Am J Cardiol. 97:1441-8.

Lee CR, North KE, Bray MS, Fornage M, Seubert JM, Newman JW, Hammock BD, Couper DJ, Heiss G, Zeldin DC. (2006) Genetic variation in soluble epoxide hydrolase (EPHX2) and risk of coronary heart disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Hum Mol Genet. 15:1640-9.

Sansbury LB, Millikan RC, Schroeder JC, Moorman PG, North KE, Sandler RS. (2005) Use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and risk of colon cancer in a population-based, case-control study of African Americans and Whites. Am J Epidemiol 162:548-58.

North KE, Miller MB, Coon H, Martin LJ, Peacock JM, Arnett D, Zhang B, Province M, Oberman A, Blangero J, Almasy L, Ellison RC, Heiss G. (2005) Evidence for a gene influencing fasting LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels on chromosome 21q. Atherosclerosis 179:119-125.








			The North lab is motivated by human health concerns, with an overall goal of understanding the complex genetic and environmental etiology of common human diseases and their risk factors. To date, their research has primarily focused on identifying the genetic and environmental influences of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Moreover, they are particularly interested in exploring the interaction of genetic factors with environmental risk factors in the pathogenesis of CVD. The North lab participates in several national NIH-sponsored epidemiological studies including the Family Heart Study (coronary heart disease), the HyperGEN study (hypertension), and the Strong Heart Family Study (CVD). In the long term, their research aims to contribute important new information toward understanding the mechanistic basis of cardiovascular disease, and to broaden our understanding of the link between epidemiologic patterns and CVD biology. Furthermore, knowledge of susceptibility genotypes can be used to persuade individuals to avoid or limit exposure to CVD risk factors, target susceptible individuals for more intensive interventions, and provide genetically tailored therapies that will ultimately be more effective. Selected Publications: North KE, Franceschini N, Borecki IB, Gu CC, Heiss G, Province MA, Arnett DK, Lewis CE, Miller MB, Myers RH, Hunt SC, Freedman BI. (2007) Genotype-by-sex interaction on fasting insulin concentration: the HyperGEN study. Diabetes. 56:137-42. Franceschini N, MacCluer JW, Goring HH, Cole SA, Rose KM, Almasy L, Diego V, Laston S, Lee ET, Howard BV, Best LG, Fabsitz RR, Roman MJ, North KE. (2006) A quantitative trait loci-specific gene-by-sex interaction on systolic blood pressure among American Indians: the Strong Heart Family Study. Hypertension. 48:266-70. Tang W, Arnett DK, Province MA, Lewis CE, North K, Carr JJ, Pankow JS, Hopkins PN, Devereux RB, Wilk JB, Wagenknecht L; Investigators of the FHS and HyperGEN. (2006) Racial differences in the association of coronary calcified plaque with left ventricular hypertrophy: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study and Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network. Am J Cardiol. 97:1441-8. Lee CR, North KE, Bray MS, Fornage M, Seubert JM, Newman JW, Hammock BD, Couper DJ, Heiss G, Zeldin DC. (2006) Genetic variation in soluble epoxide hydrolase (EPHX2) and risk of coronary heart disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Hum Mol Genet. 15:1640-9. Sansbury LB, Millikan RC, Schroeder JC, Moorman PG, North KE, Sandler RS. (2005) Use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and risk of colon cancer in a population-based, case-control study of African Americans and Whites. Am J Epidemiol 162:548-58. North KE, Miller MB, Coon H, Martin LJ, Peacock JM, Arnett D, Zhang B, Province M, Oberman A, Blangero J, Almasy L, Ellison RC, Heiss G. (2005) Evidence for a gene influencing fasting LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels on chromosome 21q. Atherosclerosis 179:119-125.



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