Launch of new node of Centre for Vascular Research

Professors David Burke, Roland Stocker, Georges Grau & Chris Murphy	Professors Roland Stocker and Nick Hunt, Jacquie Stratford & Professor Andrew Coats

20 February 2007
The University of Sydney node of the Centre for Vascular Research was officially launched on 16 February 2007.

The multidisciplinary Centre, which has existing nodes at the University of New South Wales, Monash University and the Australian National University, aims to bring together scientists and physicians to research the causes and treatments of vascular diseases. Professor Roland Stocker leads the new node at the University of Sydney, his research team focusing on atherosclerosis, the response of blood vessels to injury and the regulation of vascular tone.

Despite major medical advances, the majority of heart attack, stroke and lower limb gangrene is due to thrombosis in a segment of blood vessel narrowed by atherosclerosis. Some of the Centre's most successful projects have revolved around angiogenesis, new vessel formation in cancers, with the development of several inhibitors that are in stages of preclinical and clinical trial.

The new node of the Centre is funded by NHMRC Program Grants and Cancer Institute of NSW grants, as well as NHMRC Project Grants, ARC Discovery Grants, the National Heart Foundation and the Medical Foundation.