Cardiovascular research
Theme Leader: Sean Lal
Cardiovascular disease related research is strongly represented, with major programs examining new and innovative approaches to improve the management of heart attacks, the immunopathology of atherosclerosis and inherited risk factors for heart disease.
Cross-disciplinary inputs are made from groups studying the neuroendocrine regulation of blood pressure, and from groups studying the physiological properties of cardiac muscle cells, both normally and following pathological insult. There are a number of areas of particular research strength within the Research Theme. These include:
- Clinical and experimental studies of cardiovascular disease;
- The roles of gene expression and polymorphisms in the development of cardiovascular disease;
- Mechanisms controlling heart function and vascular tone.
Desired impact on knowledge and/or practice
While some of our work constitutes basic research, the benefits of which will only be reaped in future years, much of the research has more direct and immediate clinical application to the health of the people of NSW. Of particular note are:
- Projects that focus on diagnosis and screening of disease, for example, finding new biomarkers for early ischaemia of the heart, and determining genetic lesions that lead to cardiac and vascular disease.
- Projects that will lead to new, more cost-effective treatments for diseases, for example, discovery of new treatments for myocardial ischaemia (early phase of heart attacks) that will substantially reduce the impact of a heart attack on the long term survival of the individual, or drugs that will minimise the impact of atherosclerosis.
- Projects that will lead to prevention of disease, for example, understanding the causes, and better management, of diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, stroke and myocardial infarction.