Time-Efficient Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training as a New Approach to Lower Blood Pressure, Improve Respiratory Function, and Reduce Exertional Dyspnea in Adults with Obesity

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT CANDIDATE: Joseph Watso, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center within the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine. Dr. Watso seeks mentored research training with an NHLBI K01 to facilitate achieving his long-term career goal of directing an extramurally-funded clinical laboratory. Dr. Watso’s research interest is to examine cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment strategies in clinical populations. CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Dr. Watso’s training objectives are to: 1) Master new technical skills, such as “gold-standard” respiratory function assessments and measuring circulating cardiovascular biomarkers; 2) Establish independent research expertise in human obesity through meetings, coursework, and workshops; 3) Improve technical writing skills through co-writing grants with his mentors and UT-Southwestern’s ‘Successfully Obtaining an R’ program; and 4) Refine professional skills through journal club participation, mentoring trainees, and presenting at regional/national scientific meetings. RESEARCH: Obesity affects four-in-ten American adults and is associated with hypertension and greater all-cause mortality. Irrespective of weight loss, aerobic exercise reduces arterial blood pressure (BP) and improves cardiometabolic health. However, nearly half of adults with obesity do not perform aerobic exercise because of low leisure time availability and exertional dyspnea secondary to high chest wall mass-related inspiratory muscle dysfunction. In other clinical populations, emerging data demonstrates time-efficient high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) reduces BP and improves respiratory muscle function. Therefore, we will determine whether eight weeks of daily high-resistance IMST reduces BP, improves respiratory muscle function, and concomitantly reduces exertional dyspnea in a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled (i.e., very low-resistance IMST) clinical trial among adults with obesity. ENVIRONMENT: Dr. Watso will train in a world-leading research environment and receive mentoring from a multidisciplinary team. Internationally-recognized human physiologist Craig Crandall, PhD, has completed four NHLBI-R01 grants as the principal investigator and mentored >20 postdoctoral fellows into independent research positions. He is exceptionally-suited to serve as Dr. Watso’s primary mentor. Expert pulmonary physiologist Tony Babb, PhD, and pulmonologist Andrew Tomlinson, MD, (co-mentors) will provide training in respiratory function assessments in adults with obesity. IMST expert Fiona Bailey, PhD, (advisor) will provide training in implementing an IMST clinical trial. Vascular physiologist Kerrie Moreau, PhD (advisor) will provide training in assessing circulating cardiovascular biomarkers. Endocrinologist Jaime Almandoz, MD, (advisor) will provide training in obesity physiology and medicine. Biostatistician Linda Hynan, PhD, (advisor) will provide biostatistical support and training. World-renowned cardiologist and institute- director Ben Levine, MD, (advisor) will ensure Dr. Watso has the resources necessary for success as a junior faculty member and will provide assistance with future NHLBI R01 grant submission(s) from the resultant data.