Grant: China-Canada Joint Health Research Initiative

Essential hypertension is one of the most common diseases. So far, very a little is known about the genes whose defects can cause inherited hypertension in the majority of human populations. Because naturally existing human populations are genetically heterogeneous and because environmental factors impacting on how hypertension occurs are impossible to be controlled in any given population, it has been difficult to identify hypertension genes by directly studying humans. As an alternative, inbred animal models can be experimentally manipulated and, therefore, can be more aptly utilized to identify genes. It is expected that some of these genes may be extrapolated to humans. Our overall objective is to identify hypertension genes combining human studies with animal models in a strategic partnership.