In the UK, 7.6 million people live with cardiovascular diseases and there are 450 deaths per day. This costs our healthcare systems £7.4 billion per year. The health needs of people with cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke, are linked to high levels of health inequality arising from factors such as ethnic diversity, socioeconomic deprivation, mixed urban/rural settings and high burden of diabetes and multiple long-term health conditions.
We will use advanced technologies, such as genetic testing and imaging scans, to better understand diseases, improve risk prediction and develop targeted and personalised treatments based on different disease characteristics. We aim to improve health outcomes in people with, or at risk of, a broad range of cardiovascular diseases.
We have developed two key research areas to meet these goals:
- Discovery: We will study what factors lead to the likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease, which factors make people prone to progression of the disease and whether they respond to treatment. This will allow us to better identify those at risk of both common and rare cardiovascular diseases.
- Personalisation: we will develop treatment based on the different disease types and tailor healthcare for multiple long term health conditions, to improve patient outcomes, such as quality of life and increased life expectancy, for cardiovascular diseases.
We will also train the next generation of cardiovascular health research leaders.
Our theme houses state-of-the-art facilities that enable our multi-disciplinary team to conduct translational research, which means taking findings from the laboratory to the bedside. It also includes a stunning British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cardiovascular Research Centre, comprising office space, meeting rooms and state-of-the-art laboratories.
Leadership
Theme Lead – Professor Gerry McCann
Professor McCann is a cardiologist – heart specialist – who was a full-time NHS consultant from 2005-2011 before specialising as a clinical researcher supported by funding from the NIHR. His expertise is in cardiac imaging, especially in cardiometabolic diseases, heart valve disease, coronary artery disease – CAD – and clinical trials. Read Professor McCann’s full biography and research portfolio here: https://le.ac.uk/people/gerry-mccann