African Americans are exposed to disproportionately high levels of psychosocial stress due to structural racism, economic inequality, residential segregation, and persistent discrimination, all of which contribute to chronic physiological strain and increased vulnerability to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Growing research in epigenetics suggests that these social stressors may become biologically embedded through DNA methylation, a mechanism sensitive to environmental conditions and linked to cardiovascular processes such as inflammation, atherosclerosis, and metabolic dysfunction. In this research project, I aim to investigate the effects of various stressors on 
African American individuals and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. 
Specifically, I seek to understand the correlation between health disparities and 
cardiovascular disease in African Americans, with significant focus on the potential 
epigenetic changes that occur at the molecular level. Molecular indicators, such as 
DNA methylation, telomere shortening, and changes in protein expression can give 
insight into how health effects manifest within the African American diaspora across 
the United States. My research will navigate and interpret current and past literature 
pertaining to incidence of cardiovascular disease in African Americans, as well as 
draw correlation between possible molecular indicators of increased stress and 
cardiovascular diseases. My research seeks to call attention to the negative effects of 
racial discrimination (a type of psychosocial stressor) through presentation of the 
consequential molecular changes that have been found to be associated with 
cardiovascular complications. Additionally, this project seeks to provide possible 
solutions to the issue of racial health disparities and disproportionate prevalence of 
CVD amongst African Americans.