Trinity joins global research network focussing on cardiovascular disease in women

Posted on: 15 January 2025

The School of Nursing & Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin have joined a global network of researchers to revolutionize the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women aged 40-60 by delivering an innovative, AI-supported model for personalized risk assessment and preventive healthcare. The European Horizon Europe project, CARAMEL(CArdiovascular Risk Assessment in MEnopausaL women) has 25 global partners including those in Europe and South America and here in Ireland with Dublin City University (DCU).

Outlining the need for this research, Sharon O’Donnell, Associate Professor in Critical Care Nursing, and CARAMEL lead at the School of Nursing and Midwifery said:

 “Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death amongst European women, responsible for 17% of all female deaths before the age of 65 years. In Ireland, we know that 1 in 4 Irish women will die from this disease with the risk increasing substantially during menopause. Despite these facts, the risk for cardiovascular disease tends to be underestimated by clinicians and by women themselves. The goal of this exciting project is to optimise the cardiovascular health of women, and to develop and test a novel stratified CARAMEL digital application for personalised CVD prevention.”

Researchers at the School will lead a core aspect of CARAMEL; examining women’s experience of menopause and their cardio-protective behaviours, which will include an anonymous questionnaire to 7000 women throughout Europe and Latin America. The team will also conduct over 140 qualitative interviews with women from these countries and facilitate co-creation workshops where women and clinical experts will co-create the design of the CARAMEL Digital Application. The project stands out for this reason, by actively involving women in the creation of the CARAMEL digital tools, ensuring their experiences and preferences are at the core of its solutions.

Moreover, CARAMEL will address the specific needs of women with intellectual disabilities, providing an inclusive approach to cardiovascular prevention. Sharon O’Donnell, explained:

“A unique aspect to this project is the inclusion of women with intellectual disability, a group often forgotten in research pertaining to menopause and cardiovascular disease. As such, CARAMEL will give voice to this group’s experiences of menopause and cardiovascular health whilst facilitating co-creation of a new digital application for personalised CVD prevention: designed by women, for women.”

At the core of CARAMEL’s approach is the integration of multiple data sources – clinical records, medical imaging, wearable devices, and lifestyle information – to develop AI-based models capable of assessing risk levels and tailoring prevention plans. By leveraging emerging technologies, CARAMEL will enable women to take proactive steps toward their heart health through self-assessment tools and a digital ecosystem designed for empowerment and self-management. In addition, the project will incorporate advanced diagnostic tools and new biomarkers, including non-invasive skin nanosensors and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based lipoprotein and inflammation markers, to enable earlier and more accurate risk assessment.

The platform will undergo validation in clinical studies at multiple sites across Europe and Latin America, and it aims to provide new, evidence-based guidelines for healthcare providers and policymakers. The project will also develop clinical guidelines to help healthcare providers integrate these new personalized risk assessment models into clinical practice, thus supporting more effective CVD prevention strategies tailored to women.

CARAMEL will run for 5 years and has received funding of almost 12 million euros from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101156210.

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