Aggarwal Lab

Location and Contact Information

622 W. 168th Street
Presbyterian Hosptial 9th Fl, Rm 912
New York City, NY 10032
United States
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Principal Investigator

  • Brooke Aggarwal, EdD, MS, FAHA

    Profile Headshot
    • Director of Training, Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network at CUMC
    • Principal Investigator, Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network at CUMC

In our laboratory, we are evaluating the risk of cardiovascular disease and sleep patterns in a diverse population of women in various life stages.

Drs. Aggarwal & Giardina comparing notes

Sleep-related problems are a common health concern among adults, and women in particular. Poor sleep habits have been linked to cardiac risk, and women are especially vulnerable to sleep problems during specific time periods of their lives.  Our research is aimed at understanding how lack of sleep increases cardiac risk among women.  In particular, we aim to better understand sleep patterns among important populations of racially and ethnically diverse women, and if the link between sleep and cardiac risk differs at various life stages.  We are also studying the role of lifestyle behaviors (e.g., diet and physical activity) and psychosocial factors, including depression, social support, and caregiver strain on sleep and cardiovascular disease.  Physical and laboratory measures include body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.  We also aim to understand how changes in sleep due to major life events may be related to cardiac risk factors over time. 

We anticipate that the results of this research will provide insight into potential pathways through which sleep may be linked to cardiac risk, and contribute to the evidence base needed to elevate poor sleep to the status of other modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Interested students or fellows are encouraged to contact Dr. Aggarwal to learn about potential research opportunities:  baf2108@cumc.columbia.edu.

Aggarwal Lab Research in the News:

 

Lab Members

  • Hilary Kim, MS

    • Clinical Research Coordinator

    Hilary graduated from the University of Southern California in 2023 with a BA in Economics and Biotechnology minor. She earned her MS in Nutrition from Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition in 2024. In fall 2025, she plans to begin medical school.

    Image of Hilary Kim, MS

  • Eseosa Igbinedion

    • Graduate Student Researcher

    Eseosa graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular and Cellular Biology, specializing in Neurobiology. She is currently on track to complete her Master of Public Health (MPH) from Tulane University in Fall 2024, and will earn her Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition from Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition in 2025.

    Image of graduate student researcher Eseosa Igbinedion

  • Ruby Kaur

    • Graduate Student Researcher

    Ruby graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2023 with a BA in Public Health and is currently pursuing her MS in Human Nutrition at Columbia University’s Institute of Human Nutrition. With a strong interest in advancing clinical research, she is eager to make a meaningful contribution in the field following her graduate studies.

    Image of Ruby Kaur

  • Celine Widjaja, BA

    • Data Science Scholar

    Celine holds a Dual BA in Psychology and Business from Wheaton College (2023) and is currently pursuing an MS in Applied Analytics at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. She aspires to help organizations harness the power of data and drive meaningful impact through analytics.

    Image of Celine Widjaja, BA

Collaborators

  • Elsa-Grace Giardina, MD, MS

    • Professor of Medicine

    Dr. Giardina is Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Attending Physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.  Her current research and educational focus is on cardiovascular risk and the impact of nutrition and obesity on intergenerational cardiovascular health and disease among women and their families.  As a co-investigator on the Sleep Patterns in Women study, she provides clinical expertise on issues related to cardiometabolic risk in women, as well as facilitates recruitment and retention, particularly among women in the Northern Manhattan community.

Select Publications

  • Aggarwal B, Makarem N, Shah R, Emin M, Wei Y, St-Onge MP, Jelic S.  Effects of Inadequate Sleep on Blood Pressure and Endothelial Inflammation in Women: Findings from the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network.  Journal of the American Heart Association.  2018;7:e008590.  Link to full-text:  https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.118.008590

  • St-Onge MP, Crawford A, Aggarwal B. Plant-based diets: Reducing cardiovascular risk by improving sleep quality? Curr Sleep Medicine Rep (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-018-0103-x

  • Makarem N, Aggarwal B.  Gender Differences in Associations between Insufficient Sleep and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Endpoints.  Gender and the Genome.  Jun 2017, 1(2): 80-88.

  • Aggarwal M, Aggarwal B, Rao J.  Integrative Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease and Prevention. Medical Clinics of North America. 2017; 101 (5):  895-923.

  • Aggarwal B, Pender A, Mosca L, Mochari-Greenberger H.  Factors Associated with Medication Adherence among Heart Failure Patients and their Caregivers.  Journal of Nursing Education and Practice.  2015;5(3):22-27.

  • Blair J, Volpe M, Aggarwal B.  Challenges, Needs and Experiences of Recently Hospitalized Cardiac Patients and their Informal Caregivers: A Qualitative Study.  Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  2014 Jan-Feb;29(1):29-37.  

  • Aggarwal B, Liao M, Mosca L.  Medication Adherence is Associated with Having a Caregiver Among Cardiac Patients.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine.  2013; 46(2):237-42.  

  • Villanueva C, Aggarwal B.  The Association between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Clinical Outcomes for Patients One Year after Hospitalization for Cardiovascular Disease.  Journal of Community Health.  2013;38(4):690-7.

  • Mochari-Greenberger H, Mosca M, Aggarwal B, Umann T, Mosca L.  Caregiver Status: A Simple Marker to Identify Patients at Risk for Longer Post-Operative Length of Stay, Rehospitalization or Death.  Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  2013; 2014 Jan-Feb;29(1):12-9.  

  • Mosca L, Aggarwal B, Mochari-Greenberger H, Liao M, Blair J, Cheng B, Comellas M, Rehm L, Suero-Tejeda N, Umann T.  Association between Having a Caregiver and Clinical Outcomes 1 Year after Hospitalization for Cardiovascular Disease.  American Journal of Cardiology.  2012;109:135-139. 

  • Mosca M, Aggarwal B.  Sleep Duration, Snoring Habits, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in an Ethnically Diverse Population.  Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  2012 May-Jun;27(3):263-9.

  • Mosca L, Mochari-Greenberger H, Aggarwal B, Liao M, Suero-Tejeda N, Comellas M, Rehm L, Umann TM, Mehran R.  Patterns of Caregiving among Patients Hospitalized with Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  2011;26(4):305-311.  

  • Aggarwal B, Liao M, Mosca L.  Predictors of Physical Activity at 1-Year in a Randomized Controlled Trial.  Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 2010; 25(6):444-9. 

  • Aggarwal B, Liao M, Allegrante JP, Mosca L.  Low Social Support Level is Associated with Non-Adherence to Diet at 1-Year in the Family Intervention Trial for Heart Health (FIT Heart).  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.  2010; 42(6): 380-88.

  • Aggarwal B, Mosca L.  Lifestyle and Psychosocial Risk Factors Predict Non-Adherence to Medication.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine.  2010; 40(2):228-33.

  • Aggarwal B, Liao M, Christian A, Mosca L.  Influence of Caregiving on Lifestyle and Psychosocial Risk Factors among Family Members of Patients Hospitalized with Cardiovascular Disease.  Journal of General Internal Medicine.   2009; 24(1):93-8. 

  • Aggarwal B, Mosca L.  Heart Disease Risk for Female Cardiac Caregivers.  The Female Patient.  2009;34: 1- 4.

  • Mosca L, Mochari H, Liao M, Christian AH, Edelman D, Aggarwal B, Oz M.  A Novel Family-based Intervention Trial to Improve Heart Health (FIT Heart):  Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.  Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.  2008; 1:98-106. 

  • Fischer Aggarwal BA, Liao M, Mosca L. Physical Activity as a Potential Mechanism through which Social Support May Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk.  Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  2008; 23(2):90-6.