My primary research focuses on cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors, particularly hypertension. Our Women's Health Initiative (WHI) of which I am a Principal Investigator, is a set of clinical trials and observational studies of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, cognition, nutrition and other health issues facing older women. Extensive in scope, the WHI includes 39 clinical centers in the U.S. involving 161,000 women ages 50-79, with long-term follow-up. We also examine biomarkers predicting stroke, brain imaging studies, influence of hormones on dementia, and effect of depression and medications on cardiovascular outcomes. As the WHI conducts extended follow-up and new ancillary studies, the focus is on aging, cognition, obesity, long-term effects of hormones , sleep, depression, and associated genetic studies.
Our Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) involves 16,000 Hispanic men and women of different ethnic origins, ages 18-74, followed in four field sites. We look at risk and protective factors for cardiovascular health in relation to ethnicity, acculturation and other variables. We also assess the risks for diabetes and sleep disorders, and examine cognition, pulmonary function, physical activity, hearing, dental health and dietary patterns. Blood biomarker and genetic studies are a component of the HCHS/SOL.
We are also a part of an international consortium looking at genetics of ischemic stroke: the NINDS Stroke Gnetics Networds (SiGN).
I am the author of the book Biostatistics and Epidemiology, a Primer for Health and Biomedical Professionals, published by Springer, now in its fourth edition. I am also an author of a historical, World War II novel, entitled Chance and Consequence. In addition to my own research, I enjoy mentoring students and junior faculty and supervise some of their research projects.
You may also visit my personal page at www.sylviasmoller.com