New Duke Cardiovascular Research Center to advance global basic research objectives

posted May 9th, 2011

While Duke has a long-standing tradition of excellence in basic cardiovascular research, a new Duke Cardiovascular Research Center (CVRC) will provide an intellectual home for cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary, bench-oriented research that unites researchers from around the Duke University campus and across the globe.

“The Duke Cardiovascular Research Center brings together exceptional researchers with a unique international base, utilizing innovative technology and approaches to achieve a common mission: generate transformative discoveries in cardiovascular diseases,” said Victor J. Dzau, M.D., Duke chancellor for health affairs and chief executive officer of Duke University Health System. “The center has the potential to further enhance Duke’s reputation as a global leader in basic and translational cardiovascular research.”

Pictured above: Victor J. Dzau, M.D. (left), Duke chancellor for health affairs and CEO of DUHS, welcomes keynote speak Eric Olson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, during the 2011 Cardiovascular Symposium held April 27 in the Edwin L. Jones Building. Olson spoke on "MicroRNA Control of Heart Disease: From New Biology to New Therapeutics."

“The major objective of the CVRC is to solidify, enhance and support outstanding cardiovascular research from the basic discovery end of the translational research spectrum,” said Thomas Coffman, M.D., director of the CVRC and chief of the division of nephrology. “Through this global framework, basic scientists can interact and identify synergies that will lead to collaborative grants and new opportunities for research and training.”

One of the most unique aspects of the CVRC is the collaboration between researchers in the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS), which will provide opportunities to interact, exchange ideas, identify links and utilize resources in Durham and Singapore.

“By establishing a connection with Duke-NUS, we are bridging researchers who are literally a half world apart,” Coffman said. “We hope to create an environment that amplifies the quality and quantity of cardiovascular research across both campuses.”

The idea for the CVRC started in 2009 during a gathering of basic researchers sponsored by the Mandel Foundation. The retreat was the first formal effort to bring together benchoriented cardiovascular researchers at Duke to foster discussion and idea generation. “That meeting planted the seed for the center. We could see there was a thirst for this structure,” Coffman said.

The Mandel Foundation will continue to sponsor an annual retreat under the auspices of the CVRC to promote interactions that optimize investigator strengths and identify strategies to enhance the Duke and Duke-NUS cardiovascular research portfolios.

Other primary functions of the CVRC will include hosting scientific symposia and a bi-weekly seminar series, a seed grant program also funded by the Mandel Center, providing core support services for CVRC investigators and training for young investigators in cardiovascular research.

The CVRC will aid in planning and program development for the Cardiovascular Symposia at Duke and Duke-NUS. The symposia will feature research presentations by leading cardiovascular scientists from the two campuses, as well as keynote speakers who are internationally renowned
scientists.

The first symposium was recently held at Duke-NUS. Five Duke faculty traveled to Singapore to participate in the event, familiarize themselves with the research happening at that campus and explore potential collaborations with the NUS Heart Center. Duke-NUS scientists are expected to participate in the symposium in Durham later this year.

To date, 51 bench-oriented cardiovascular researchers from Duke and Duke-NUS have become members of the CVRC.