Structural and functional relationships in adult congenital heart disease

Improved paediatric surgical care and survival to adulthood has led to an exponential rise in adult patients with congenital heart disease presenting to cardiologists. As a result, they are a complex group, with long-term multisystem med...

Genes and atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a disorder in which the heart doesn’t beat with a normal rhythm. AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is a major risk factor for stroke and heart failure. Genetic variation plays a substantial role in ...

Changes in heart structure and function with mechanical heart support

With improved short-term medical outcomes and an ageing population, the prevalence of heart failure is increasing. Treatment to date usually involves medications that block the sympathetic nervous system and blood pressure, salt and wate...

The role of activating transcription factor-4 in intimal thickening of injured vessels

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, accounting for 35% of all deaths in Australia. Autologous saphenous vein grafts, in which the large saphenous vein of the leg and thigh is ...

On the TRAIL of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease

In humans, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are inexorably linked, and obesity greatly increases the risk of type-2 diabetes and some CVDs. However, the precise cause of disease is unclear.

A protein known as TR...

A new approach for treating cardiac arrhythmias

Cardiac ventricular arrhythmia is a heart rhythm disorder that can cause sudden death. It is caused by abnormal electrical conduction in the heart’s main pumping chamber. Patients who have experienced a heart attack are at an increased r...

Patient focused cardiovascular care

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. CVD is the leading cause of death in the country, killing one Australian nearly every 10 minutes. Despite major medical advancements over the last...

Improving preservation of the donor heart used in cardiac transplantation

Over 2,000 Australians die of end-stage heart failure each year, and the demand for cardiac transplantation always exceeds the availability of donor hearts. In addition, available donor hearts undergo a series of unavoidable injuries dur...

Population burden of peripheral arterial disease

Dr Sally Inglis has chosen to focus her research on a common, but neglected, form of cardiovascular disease - peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Sally will try to determine if the warning signs for risk of PAD are the same as those for hear...

Preventing cardiovascular complications from kidney disease

Kidney disease is a key risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Even those in the early stages of kidney disease have a substantially higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.  Furthermore, chronic kidney disease...

Developing new technology to improve the success rate of coronary stenting for coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease occurs when the arteries to the heart become blocked and can no longer supply enough blood for the heart to work as effectively as it should. This can cause extensive damage to the heart tissue and potentially res...

Understanding how gene mutations result in heart failure

On average, the human heart beats about 2.5 billion times in a lifetime. What causes our hearts to eventually fail?

Over the past decade, two new muscle genes (MYBPC3 and TTN) have been identified as the cause of more than a qua...

Combined use of established treatments with promising new drugs in heart failure

Heart failure is characterised by the heart’s inability to pump blood at a sufficient rate to supply organs and tissue with enough blood that has been oxygen-enriched by the lungs. Mechanisms that promote its development include raised o...

Improving the success rate of clot busting drugs in stroke

A stroke occurs when an artery or blood vessel that supplies blood to part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts, cutting off blood supply to the brain cells, which will then begin to die. A stroke can have disastrous consequences, such...

SEARCH-AF stroke prevention study

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal heart rhythm that affects at least 240,000 Australians, including more than 5% of people aged over 65 years. People with AF are five to seven times more likely than the general population to have a...

A new drug target for treating heart disease

The brain subconsciously controls many of the body’s internal organs and regulatory systems through two networks known as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. When activated, these two systems tend to have opposite effect...

Profile of patients admitted to hospital with heart failure

This multi-institutional cohort study across NSW and ACT seeks to describe the contemporary epidemiology (patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions) of patients admitted to hospitals with acute decompensated heart fai...

Gene carriers in inherited cardiac disease

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) – commonly known as an enlarged heart – is the most common genetic heart disease, and the most common cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under 30. A new clinical subgroup of patients with HCM ...

PCSK9 in familial hypercholesterolemia

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), also known as ‘bad cholesterol’, are elevated in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an inherited disorder characterised by high cholesterol. A molecule called PCSK9 helps cells degrade the r...

Decoding gene networks that govern heart development and disease

One in 100 Australian babies is affected by heart malformations. The heart is a complex organ and its formation is likewise orchestrated by a complex network of genes. Current knowledge of this network is limited, but Dr Mirana Ramialiso...

Performance and delivery of cardiovascular health services

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a well-known cause of death and disability within the Australian population. Specifically, hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), coronary revascularisation (restoring b...

Living with acute coronary syndrome: what happens to people in the year after a serious

Dr Julie Redfern’s project provides an unprecedented opportunity to determine the experience (including service utilisation), outcomes and costs for NSW patients in the 12 months following admission to hospital with acute coronary syndro...

FiTIST- Fitness Training in Stroke Trial

Being physically active is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle and it can help reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. People who have already had one of these life-threatening events are at greater risk of havin...

Novel hormones and predicting beneficial effects of the medicine fenofibrate on

Abdominal obesity is an important cardiovascular risk factor and often associated with the impaired release of hormones known as adipokines from adipose tissue (body fat).

Adipokines play an important role in insulin resistance, ...

The role of high-density lipoproteins in inhibiting inflammatory factors that promote

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) are found in the wall of arteries and veins and their primary role is to control dilation and constriction of the flow of blood to tissues. However, following an inflammatory insult such as stent implantation (i...

How does the cardiac Kv11.1 potassium channel open and shut?

Rhythmic contractions of the heart are initiated by electrical signals, which are mediated by the opening, closing and inactivation of ion-selective pores in the membrane around the heart.

One of these channels, the hERG potassiu...

Strong evidence and innovative solutions to combat cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. It is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 34% of all deaths in 2006. CVD kills one Australian nearly every 10 minutes and is o...

Optimising the effectiveness of cardiovascular medicines

There are a number of proven medicines used to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease (CVD). For an individual to get the greatest benefit from these medicines, most need to be taken regularly and long-term. Many people with, or at ris...

Improving cholesterol-lowering therapy

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one killer of Australians, there are several proven therapies to reduce the risk of it developing, or of a person with diagnosed CVD suffering from a life-threatening event such as...

Improving the prevention of cardiovascular disease in high-risk populations

While there are a number of highly effective treatments to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD), strategies to identify those who could most benefit from these treatments and to increase their uptake within high-risk populations are lack...

Measurements, patterns and determinants of sedentary behaviour among children

Recent studies suggest that sedentary behaviour – time spent sitting – has detrimental effects on children’s cardiovascular health, whether or not they also participate in physical activity. This is concerning because modern lifestyles d...

How do white blood cells contribute to cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for more than 30% of all deaths in Australia. The cause of most CVD is the gradual clogging of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, brain, and other vital organs. Fatty material called ...

New players in controlling heart disease

Endothelial cells, which form the lining of blood vessels, are involved with two processes that can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD): the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), and changes in the perm...

Developing persuasive messages to support rural Aboriginal Australians to quit smoking

Smoking is the major cause of premature death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is highly prevalent in the Indigenous population. Changes in the culture of smoking and a reduction in exposure to tobacco smoke for Indig...

Using stem cells to study congenital heart disease

Hypoplastic left heart (HLH) is a relatively rare heart malformation, present at birth, which is characterised by underdevelopment of the main pumping chamber of the heart. Without treatment, babies born with HLH can die within the first...

HIV-related heart disease

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a major public health issue in both the developed and developing world, with a worldwide prevalence of more than 33 million people.

With the advent of treatment (...

Management of families after a sudden cardiac death caused by genetic heart disease

The sudden cardiac death (SCD) of a family member is the tragic result of many genetic heart diseases, and raises confronting issues at a time of stress.

Dr Jodie Ingles' research aims to describe the psychosocial wellbeing of th...

Improving outcomes for Australians with chronic cardiovascular disease: focusing on peripheral arterial disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) occurs where plaque builds up and narrows arteries. It impairs physical function, reduces quality of life and significantly increases risk of death. Importantly, PAD is responsible for high levels of hos...

TRAIL in angiogenesis and cardiovascular disease

Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels, an important natural process occurring in the healthy body for healing wounds and restoring blood flow (and oxygen) to tissues after injury. Uncontrolled angiogenesis (either excessive or ...

How muscle cells in the arteries contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease

Within the walls of the arteries – the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body – lay special muscle cells called 'smooth muscle cells'. These cells normally provide structural support and elasticity as the b...

The impact of lifestyle diseases on the small blood vessels of children

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity can be present in childhood and track to adolescence and adulthood. To achieve a sustained reduction in the health burden associated with CVD, a better understanding of the underl...

Prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac death after a heart attack

Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in Australia, and people whose hearts have an impaired pumping action after a heart attack are more likely to suffer from another heart attack, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death (SC...

Accuracy of physical activity monitors in children

Many young people have at least one modifiable risk factor – those that can be controlled or eliminated – for cardiovascular disease. Since these risk factors often begin to develop in childhood, it makes sense to commence preventive act...

Understanding how to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in young people

It is well known that excess body weight and a sedentary lifestyle lacking physical activity are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also well documented that children and young adults in Australia are beco...

How the brain controls blood pressure

Blood pressure is controlled by nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Any disruption in the function of these nerves can lead to either catastrophically low blood pressure, or dangerously high blood pressure. Dr Paul Pilowsky's project ai...

Investigation of how a cardiac channel opens and closes

Ion channels are specialised proteins that allow the passage of specific particles into and out of cells. Abnormal function of ion channels in the heart can result in disturbances to the normal rhythm of the heartbeat and, in the worst-c...

Is legislation the only effective way to get the food industry to improve the nutritional composition of foods on the market?

The link between unhealthy eating patterns and the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, is incontrovertible. As chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disease burden throughout the wo...

Endothelial cells and atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a process in which fatty material slowly builds up on the inner walls of the arteries, making them narrow and susceptible to blockage. This process causes most cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the major cause of ...

Which progenitor cells work best for new blood vessel growth?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Australian community. Despite many recent advances in therapies, there is still a need to investigate other therapies for those people not suited to traditional treatments...

Smoking amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for many forms of cardiovascular disease and can lead to heart attack or stroke.  Smoking is particularly prevalent amongst Indigenous Australians, with research conducted in 2003 indicating that ...

Too much sitting and heart health

Most Australian adults spend several hours of their day sitting or reclining, be it at work, at home and/or while commuting. Even those who exercise regularly may sit for long, unbroken periods of time throughout the rest of the day. Rec...

A new approach to understanding the mechanisms of congenital and adult heart disease

Despite amazing advances in medicines and in our understanding of how the heart grows and functions, heart disease remains the primary cause of death and disability amongst adults and infants in the industrialised world. To date, drug th...

How sitting for too long can lead to poor heart health

Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are significant and prevalent public health problems. Physical activity can decrease the risk of these conditions. However, reducing prolonged sitting may also be important. This research will add ...

Novel mechanisms of protection against cardiac injury and death

Heart attack, or myocardial infarction, is a major health problem in Australia and worldwide. Unfortunately, there are new strategies that limit the irreversible cell damage that occurs and contributes to heart failure and death followin...

The role of the kidney in diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which the concentration of glucose in the blood is chronically elevated. More than one million Australians have been diagnosed with diabetes and 70% of associated deaths are due to cardiovascular disease (heart...

Adiponectin receptor signalling in ischaemic stroke

Ischaemic stroke is a devastating disease and the second leading cause of death in Australia. There is an urgent need for novel therapies capable of reducing mortality and permanent neurological deficits in people who have experienced a ...

Streptococcal skin infection and rheumatic heart disease: assessment of vaccine efficacy and investigation of disease mechanisms

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes – group A streptococcus (GAS) – causes over 500,000 deaths worldwide annually, over 70% of which are related to subsequent diseases that occur follow...

The role of a bone protein in artery weakening

Weakening of the main abdominal artery, known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), is an age-related lethal disease that affects around 5% of men and 1% of women aged 60 years and older. It leads to approximately 1,000 deaths and 2,500...

Chemosensory receptors in the heart

We taste and smell with highly specific proteins (receptors) in the lining of our tongue and nose. These receptors were presumed to be found only in the tongue and nose, but Professor Walter Thomas and his team have also identified them ...

Safety and benefits of water-based exercise for people with chronic heart failure

Exercise is usually recommended for people with chronic heart failure (CHF), as it has been shown to improve symptoms and quality of life. Specialised exercise programs are often conducted in hospital gymnasiums, but for people with musc...

Controlling fat cells to combat obesity and cardiovascular disease

The development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is strongly linked to obesity. Excess body fat contributes directly to CVD as well as indirectly through its links to atherosclerosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), high blood cholest...

New treatment for diseases of the blood vessels in the lungs

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease affecting the blood vessels in the lungs that leads to abnormal cell proliferation, vessel narrowing and a back-pressure effect on the heart. Current treatments are only partially ...

The CADOSA (Coronary Angiogram Database of South Australia) project

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common form of cardiovascular disease in Australia. It occurs when the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle become partially blocked, and can lead to chest pain (angina) and heart attack. ...

Controlling blood vessels to prevent cardiovascular disease

As part of normal body repair processes, new blood vessels are formed. Paradoxically, this process can directly contribute to problems including cardiovascular disease (CVD). A particular type of cell called endothelial progenitor cells ...

Refining the prediction of sudden cardiac death in patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease: the role of new imaging technology

Some patients who survive a heart attack are left with scar tissue in their heart muscle as a result of damage that occurred. This scar tissue can cause a dangerous irregular heart beat which can result in cardiac arrest and sudden death...

Impact of nutrient supply on fetal cardiovascular development

It is well known that particular lifestyle factors (such as physical inactivity and smoking) increase an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, long before these types of lifestyle choices are made, the patterns of o...

The role of cardiac MRI stress testing following acute heart attack

Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) become clogged and narrowed. If a blood clot forms in a narrowed artery and completely blocks the blood supply to part of ...

Promoting regular physical activity among rural adults: who sticks at it and why?

Physical inactivity is a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and regular walking has been shown to substantially improve CVD risk factor profiles in adults.

Dr Jim Dollman's research will focus on physic...

Is early life diet quality a CVD prevention opportunity?

It is known that people's eating patterns in adulthood influence their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and that the foods we eat as adults reflect habits established earlier in life. Well-known risk factors for CVD such as high blo...

Defining signals that control the growth and development of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels

Blood vessels and lymphatic vessels are vital components of the cardiovascular system. While blood vessels deliver oxygen and nutrients to the body, lymphatic vessels pick up the fluid and proteins that leave the bloodstream and return t...

Reducing cardiovascular disease in women and their children

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of a number of diseases and health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Women in their childbearing years have an increased risk of becoming obese, and there...

IGFs in heart development

The development of the heart is a complex process, and the origins of heart disease are not fully understood. However, it is known that for babies who are born small (weighing less than 2.5 kg), slow growth in fetal life coupled with acc...

Developing new treatments for heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. It is caused by a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, reducing the supply of oxygen to the heart tissue and limiting its ability to funct...

How does the vascular growth factor VEGF coordinate heart development?

Almost one baby in 100 is born with a heart defect (known as a congenital heart defect). Many defects are minor, and most can be corrected with medicines or surgery. However, some are very serious and can result in the death of a newborn...

Assessing the role of 'personalised medicine' in cardiovascular care

Personalised medicine – an approach that takes into account the characteristics of the individual to determine the best treatment – has the potential to improve healthcare by helping to identify individuals at increased risk of serious s...

HELP-AF: A randomised controlled trial assessing home-based support and education for people with abnormal heart rhythms

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common abnormal heart rhythm in the Australian population, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing. People with atrial fibrillation have a significantly impaired quality of life and the medical manag...

Fruit and vegetables and blood vessel health

Robust evidence suggests that diet quality influences health outcomes. A positive association has been shown between a Western diet that is high in fried foods, salty snacks, eggs and meat, and the incidence of heart attack. A diet high ...

Aldosterone, NSAIDs and cardiovascular risk

Fifteen non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are available in Australia and around 7.5 million prescriptions were processed in 2011. NSAIDs may increase the risk of heart attack, especially in elderly patients.

The risk...

The most important meal of the day? Understanding the influences and consequences of breakfast skipping in Australian children

Skipping breakfast is common, despite it being widely considered the most important meal of the day. Data from the USA and Europe suggests that children who skip breakfast have a poorer diet and are more likely to be overweight or obese ...

Understanding clinical decision-making in the management of hypertension in Australian primary care: a mixed methods study.

High blood pressure, known as hypertension, can lead to many serious health problems such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney disease. Hypertension is a leading cause of death and disability around the world, but the way it...

How does depression affect the risk of heart disease and diabetes in young adults?

Depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Some research has suggested that depression leads to CVD because individuals with depression have poorer ...

Understanding central blood pressure and its clinical application during exercise

High blood pressure (BP) is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. BP is normally measured at the upper arm while a person is at rest, but it is well recognised that this method has many shortfalls that may lead to inappropriate diag...

Investigating the influence of male sex-determining genes on the development of high blood pressure

Despite current therapies, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 18% of the total burden of disease in Australia. Alarmingly, there are clear sex differences in the rates of CVD, with the mortality rate in men triple that in women. H...

Inflammation, cholesterol and blood vessel disease: discovering new links to develop better therapies

Normally, a type of white blood cell called a macrophage is involved in removing cholesterol from the body. However, when there is too much cholesterol, or it is altered (which occurs in those with diabetes) these white blood cells cannot c...

Molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation–induced heart failure

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is a disorder in which the heart doesn’t beat with a normal rhythm. It is also common in people who experience heart failure (HF) and, regardless of adequate rate control, is ...

Influences on physical activity among children living in urban and rural areas

Dr Clare Hume’s research focuses on the physical activity levels of children in rural Australia. Physical activity during childhood is important for the prevention of obesity and cardiovascular disease; but children's activity typically dec...

Understanding why quality of care and patient outcome varies for patients with stroke across Australia

A stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to a part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts. As a result, a part of the brain may become damaged because it is deprived of blood supply.  Constant blood supply to the brain is essential...

Evaluation of a healthy lifestyle intervention targeting young people living in out-of-home care

Recent findings suggest that individuals who have adverse childhood experiences, particularly abuse and neglect, are more likely to be obese. There are a number of proposed explanations for this including: childhood trauma may cause psyc...

Defining the role of cell communication in the blood in the format of clots and heart disease

Cardiovascular disease is a major complicating factor for patients with diabetes. Blood vessels subjected to hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) show increased levels of chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, known as reactive ox...

Cardiovascular disease and high salt diets

It is now commonly understood that a high salt diet is associated with poor heart health. Dr Michelle Kett’s study will determine whether the risks to the heart from a high salt diet are only restricted to the ‘salt sensitive’ or are equal ...

The persisting effects of brief exposure to angiotensin

It is now established that the functions of the human cardiovascular system are strongly influenced by prior exposure to metabolic disturbances, long after the initial event has dissipated. One of the ways these ‘cellular memories’ are n...

Understanding and treating life-threatening heart arrhythmias

Sudden death is a tragic occurrence that can affect Australians of all ages. Heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias) are the most common cause of sudden death. Patients at risk are those with a weakened heart muscle from either a prior ...

Understanding the CVD risk factors for people with diabetes

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. It is the leading cause of death in Australia and claims one life nearly every 10 minutes. Despite improvements over the last few decades, it rema...

Blood vessel disease and dementia

Cerebrovascular disease is disease of blood vessels in the brain. This disease may lead to a range of problems with brain function, in particular it can cause dementia in the elderly.  With this fellowship, Dr Velandai Srikanth will stud...

Advancing obesity prevention in Australia by applying system science

The World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention (WHOCC) at Deakin University, where this project is based, leads the world in the design of community-based interventions (CBI) to prevent obesity.

Profes...

Investigating the benefits of combining new antiplatelet drugs with clot busting drugs to treat heart attack & stroke

Heart attack and stroke are the leading causes of death in Australia.  Both of these conditions occur when there is a blockage, such as a blood clot, in the arteries that supply blood to the heart or brain.

Treatments for these c...

How stem cells from blood vessels can repair the heart

Heart attacks that often lead to heart failure are a leading cause of death and poor quality of life. Stem cells derived from blood vessels can be used to reduce the damage to the heart muscle after a heart attack by forming new blood ve...

The role of phosphatase enzymes in heart failure

Heart failure affects 300,000 Australians and accounts for 2% of all deaths. Prognosis is very poor – approximately 45% of women and 60% of men with heart failure die within five years of being diagnosed.

Despite this, one of the...

Physical activity and cardiovascular risk in people following chronic stroke

Stroke is a major cause of disability in Australia that affects over 50,000 people annually. Stroke survivors are at increased risk of serious ongoing health problems, particularly a second stroke. Many of the risk factors for a second s...

Developing new imaging agents to identify atherosclerosis and thrombosis

Atherosclerotic plaques are a build up of fatty material on the inside of a blood vessel wall and can lead to the development of a thrombosis, otherwise known as a blood clot. These blood clots can cause a heart attack, stroke or lung em...

The role of the cell membrane in AT1 activation

Angiotensin II (AngII) is a hormone that plays an important role in cardiovascular, endocrine, neural and metabolic systems. The 359 amino acid AT1 receptor (AT1R) is responsible for mediating the majority of AngII actions.

Inapp...

Platelet receptor modulation

Thrombotic complications – relating to clots inside blood vessels – play a major role in cardiovascular disease. Following blood vessel injury, the body sends blood-clotting agents, platelets and fibrin to prevent blood loss. Platelet hy...

New ways to treat heart failure

The sympathetic nervous system sends messages from the brain to the body’s internal organs, such as the heart and the kidneys, to control their actions. Patients with heart failure have increased sympathetic nervous system activity, whic...

Improving vascular health for people with diabetes

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes is increasing rapidly each year. Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (including heart disease or stroke), and many patients develop other vascular complications leading ...

Improving the detection of disadvantaged Australians at high risk of heart disease and stroke

In Australia, heart disease and stroke follow a social pattern, such that individuals living with greater disadvantage are more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than more socially advantaged people.

Risk prediction t...

How chorioamnionitis contributes to the development of atherosclerosis in early life

Heart attack and stroke are leading causes of death and illness in adults. The ‘hardening’ of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) that leads to these conditions begins before birth and develops for decades before causing symptoms in adults.<...

Cardiac risk and diabetes

By 2025 there will be two million people in Australia with type 2 diabetes. Cardiovascular events account for 75% of the deaths among this group, and the risk persists after adjustment for traditional risk factors.

Although resea...

A new protein to control blood vessel disease

The accumulation of white blood cells in blood vessel walls is a key step in the development of plaque lesions that block blood vessels in atherosclerosis. This activity starts with an inflammation process in which white blood cells in t...

Long-term outcomes and cost effectiveness of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI)

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death in Australia and a major cause of disability. CHD occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscles (the coronary arteries) become clogged and narrow. If a blood...

Time spent sitting and its effects on cardiovascular health amongst children

Sedentary behaviour (time spent sitting) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk for adults and more recently in children, regardless of the amount of time they spend doing physical activity during the day. Understanding the eff...

Individual, social and environmental factors related to children’s active transport and independent mobility

It has been well established that regular physical activity plays an important role in children’s health and wellbeing. Children who are physically inactive have a greater risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing cardiovascula...

Understanding the relationship between childhood obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea

In Australia one in four children is either overweight or obese. The health consequences of childhood obesity include cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

While obesity is well recognised as the primary cause of sleep d...

Identification of new drug targets to reduce the rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes

Diabetes and obesity are two key risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. However, exactly how they increase cardiovascular risk is complicated and not fully understood.

With this Scholarship, Miss Lauren Corn...

Sedentary behaviour and women’s cardiovascular health

The risk of heart disease in women increases significantly with the onset of menopause. New evidence suggests that sedentary behaviour (too much sitting, as distinct from too little exercise) is also related to heart disease risk.

New methods to combat blood vessel inflammation

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 18% of the total burden of disease in Australia and a condition known as atherosclerosis, in which an artery hardens and becomes narrow due to the build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol,...

Understanding the role of the sympathetic nervous system in long term blood pressure control

The brain controls many of the body’s internal organs and regulatory systems via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS helps the body become active under stress, commonly known as the fight or flight response. Amongst many things...

Identifying the cause of cardiac fibrosis

Heart failure is a common problem that results in disabling symptoms including breathlessness and reduced life expectancy.

Stiffening of the heart muscle due to fibrosis is a key cause of heart failure. However, there are no suff...

Monitoring, treatment and prevention of heart failure in the growing population of young adults and children with single ventricle palliated with a Fontan procedure

The Fontan procedure is a lifesaving medical technique used to treat children born with certain serious heart defects. The procedure involves restructuring the heart so that it can operate effectively using only one ventricle, or pumping...

Improving the function of dystrophic hearts

Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating disease affecting around one in 3,500 live male births. Affected boys are born with a genetic mutation that reduces their capacity to regenerate skeletal and cardiac muscle, leading to s...

Structural changes in heart failure – links with pump function and health outcomes

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) refers to the development of fibrous tissue in the heart muscle. Like scar tissue, fibrous tissue is very rigid and stiff, and is unable to contract or ‘beat’ as well as normal heart muscle can. This affects the ...

The HDL lipidome: prediction of sudden heart attacks

More than 19 million people experience a sudden cardiac event, including sudden death and non-fatal heart attack, worldwide every year. However, it is still not possible to accurately identify people at risk of coronary plaque rupture, t...

Renal denervation in diabetes

Diabetes is a major public health problem. Although effective medicines and non-medicinal approaches

Diagnosis and treatment of diabetic pulmonary vascular dysfunction

Diabetes and heart failure are two of Australia’s greatest health challenges. Dr Andre La Gerche believes that the potential or the pulmonary circulation – where oxygen-depleted blood is carried to the lungs – to restrict blood flow, and...

The impact of a chronic disease management plan for survivors of stroke

A stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to a part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts. As a result, part of the brain is deprived of its blood supply, which normally brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells. This can caus...

Identification and characterisation of novel genes for heart disease

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are a leading cause of death in children and adults. Congenital malformations of the heart and great vessels are common birth defects and the leading cause of death in infants younger than one year o...

Genetic causes of pathological heart enlargement

Heart enlargement (cardiac hypertrophy) is a common condition that is associated with increased risk of serious cardiovascular events. Dr Francine Marques and her research group have developed a laboratory model of genetic cardiac hypert...

A study of new mechanisms that control blood clotting

The endothelium is a thin layer of cells that forms the inside lining of blood vessel walls. In most healthy people, the endothelium forms a natural protective cover on the blood vessel to help stop the development of blood clots, which ...

A new technique for improved diagnosis of coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death in Australia and a major cause of disability. CHD occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle become clogged and narrowed. If a blood clot forms in a narrow...

The role of a novel stem-like cell in the embryonic heart

Chronic heart failure is common following a heart attack, and has an extremely poor prognosis. Until recently, the regenerative capacity of the heart was thought to be limited. With the discovery of adult stem cells, the search for cells...

Understanding how the kidneys can protect against high blood pressure

Sustained high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can lead to serious problems such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease.
The kidneys play an important role in the long term regulation of blood p...

A novel gene therapy strategy for rescuing cardiac function in diabetes

Patients with diabetes are around two-and-a-half times more likely to experience heart failure (HF), even when adjusted for age and coronary heart disease. HF onset occurs earlier in people with diabetes, with prevalence increased up to ...

Understanding the links between obesity and high blood pressure

Obesity and high blood pressure are serious risk factors that increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, heart failure or stroke. While an individual may have one of these risk factors without the o...

Mechanisms maintaining blood flow with increased blood pressure in the lungs

Pulmonary arteries transfer deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Using a newly developed approach to directly assess the reservoir filling and discharge patterns of large conduit pulmonary arteries, Associate Professor Joseph ...

Control of rheumatic heart disease in developing countries

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common type of bacteria that, if left untreated, can cause a range of conditions from skin sores (scabies) to rheumatic heart disease (RHD). GAS is a major cause of death and disability around the world, ...

Improving outcomes for out of hospital cardiac arrest patients

Despite great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease over the last few decades, it remains one of Australia's largest health problems and one of the biggest burdens on our economy. In particular, cardiac arrest...

Atrial fibrillation and hypertension: reverse cardiac remodelling post renal denervation

Renal denervation is an invasive endovascular, catheter-based procedure. Dr Alex McLellan and his research group aim to determine whether, in patients undergoing renal denervation for severe (treatment-resistant) hypertension, heart stru...

Understanding the role of T cells in hypertension

High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can lead to serious problems such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease. Researchers have long known that a system of hormones within the body, known as the renin-a...

How the body’s own immune system reacts to heart attack: inflammation and its effects on the heart

Heart attack is the leading cause of death in Australia, and as the population ages, the rate of heart attack is only set to increase. Over the past few decades there have been tremendous medical advances in treatments available fo...

Atherosclerosis and intrauterine inflammation

Atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries, is a chronic inflammatory disease that begins during early life and manifests clinically as cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The significant time lag between the onset of atherosclerosis ...

Small coronary vessel function and recovery in patients who have had a heart attack

Damage to the distal coronary microcirculation, which involves the smallest blood vessels of the heart, is a hallmark of heart attacks, or acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Dysfunction of the microcirculation (MVD) following ACS has...

Pre-implantation factor: a new and potent agent for the treatment of blocked arteries

Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and can lead to cardiovascular complications including heart attack and stroke.

These acute manifestations are typically caused by...

Inheriting hypertension: the role of a mother's obesity

Around 60% of Australian adults are overweight or obese, and there are strong links between obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease. While being overweight or obese is generally considered a 'modifiable' risk factor...

Salt preference and intake in primary school children

Consuming too much salt throughout life contributes to high blood pressure (hypertension) and the risk of stroke and heart attack. To reduce lifelong intake of salt, it is important to establish healthy eating patterns in childhood. Howe...

New insights into oestrogen and heart disease

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women is increasing. Pre-menopausal women have a lower risk of heart disease than men of the same age, but there is evidence to suggest that the consequences of a heart attack are more severe...

Health risks associated with maternal obesity for mothers and offspring

The high rates of adult obesity in Australia and other western countries are well documented, and the connection between excess body weight and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is established.

Clinical studies hav...

Using advanced imaging to improve treatment of stroke

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in our community. The majority of strokes are caused by a blood clot blocking the blood supply to part of the brain ('ischaemic strokes'). Although some of the brain tissue will die almost ...

The role of the brain in essential hypertension

Hypertension is a major contributing risk factor to the development of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, and is therefore a component of the greatest cause of death and disability in all societies. Essential hypertension, a term us...

Predicting and treating brain injury in the fetus

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), like stem cells, have the ability to differentiate and mature into a number of different cell types. EPCs travel to the site of injured tissue within the body and induce growth of blood vessels, promo...

How does oestrogen contribute to increased heart disease consequences in women?

The burden of heart disease in women is increasing, and clinical evidence shows that the consequences of a heart attack can be more severe for women. In this project, Professor Lea Delbridge aims to determine how the hormone oestrogen co...

Mending hearts with macrophages

The limited regenerative capacity of the adult human heart underlies the increasingly widespread mortality associated with cardiovascular disease in Australia. Upon injury, the damaged muscular tissue of the heart is replaced by fibrotic...

Macrophages and blood vessel disease in hypertension

Associate Professor Grant Drummond's project will test the theory that certain types of white blood cells (called macrophages) enter the walls of arteries in increased numbers in individuals with high blood pressure. Once inside the arte...

New use for an old drug: reducing the impact of heart attack

After a heart attack, it is important to reduce the death of heart muscle and prevent it becoming stiff during healing. Cardiac fibrosis is an abnormal stiffening of the heart that impairs the ability of the heart muscle to contract prop...

New imaging techniques and targeted therapies for heart attack and stroke

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is usually caused by a gradual clogging of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs. In this process, called atherosclerosis, fatty material known as ‘plaque’ slowly builds up...

How might B1a B lymphocytes protect against atherosclerosis?

Most cardiovascular disease (CVD) is caused by atherosclerosis – a process in which fatty material slowly builds up on the inner walls of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs. Inflammation can contribut...

Improving the lives of people born with severe heart defects

Some children are born with a serious form of congenital heart disease where the heart has only one working pumping chamber, rather than the usual two. A type of surgery known as the Fontan procedure is often performed on these children ...

A new target for cardiovascular disease treatment

The excessive growth of certain cells in the walls of blood vessels can lead to a thickening of the vessel wall (a process known as atherosclerosis), which can ultimately lead to reduced blood flow. If the blood flow is blocked completel...

Reducing stress for spouses caring for young stroke survivors

Family members of stroke survivors, especially spouses, make significant contributions to the health care system and the wider community by providing unpaid assistance to stroke survivors. This informal family care is important in reduci...

Repairing a failing heart

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart muscle is weakened and can't pump as well as it normally does. It is not only a major cause of death, but also disability. While recent studies suggest that the heart may have some in-built...

The effects of physical activity on bone metabolism, sugar control and cardiovascular risk

The body's regulation of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream is an important biological function. Problems with this process can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical activity is ...

Using new imaging techniques and blood tests to predict outcomes in heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. It is a major public health burden that, despite significant advances in medical treatments for cardiovascular disease, is becoming more common ...

Reducing damage to the heart after a heart attack

During a heart attack the blood supply to part of the heart is blocked. It is important to restore blood flow as soon as possible, or the affected part of the heart muscle will die. Paradoxically, reintroducing blood to the heart muscle ...

Gender matters: developing better therapeutics for the failing heart

Gender differences in the incidence, prevalence, symptoms, age at onset, severity of disease, and response to drugs are well documented and are particularly noticeable in cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death for both ...

Gene therapy to target atherosclerosis

Most cardiovascular disease is the result of atherosclerosis, a process that causes gradual clogging of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs. Fatty material called 'plaque' slowly builds up on the inn...

New use for an old drug in reducing the impact of heart attack

After a heart attack, it is important to minimise the loss of heart muscle and prevent it from becoming scarred and stiff during healing, as this can lead to heart failure. Heart failure is a serious condition that is becoming increasing...

New imaging methods for investigating blood clots

Heart attack and stroke, major causes of death and disability in Australia, are often caused by blood clots that block the supply of blood to vital organs. As time is of great importance when treating these conditions, detection of the b...

Understanding the causes of heart muscle disease

Cardiomyopathy refers to disorders of the heart muscle. These disorders are a fairly common form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and affect people of all ages. They can result in a diverse range of symptoms that may be mild or severe an...

New treatments for rescuing heart muscle after heart attack

Heart attack, a result of a blockage in the blood flow to the heart muscle, is a major cause of death in Australia. Quickly restoring blood flow to the affected part of the heart is vital to save a person's life and to minimise the damag...

Increasing 'good' cholesterol levels: effects on heart muscle metabolism and function

While lowering levels of the 'bad' cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), in the bloodstream is a common strategy to lower a person's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), raising the levels of the 'good' cholesterol, high-density l...

Using stem cells to treat stroke

In recent years, there has been considerable scientific interest in the use of stem cells to treat a number of conditions in which various types of cells die and do not regenerate. In stroke, a lack of oxygen to a part of the brain can i...

Effects of novel treatments on nutritional sympathetic responsiveness in obesity

Obesity and related cardiovascular risk factors can be viewed as the effects of an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure: consuming more energy though food and drinks than is expended through physical activity will lead to weig...

Heart electrical abnormalities and atrial fibrilation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition in which there is electrical chaos in the heart’s collecting chambers (the atria) and, as a result, an irregular heartbeat. AF is the most common sustained abnormal heart rhythm in the Australian c...

Angiotensin II and cardiovascular disease management

The hormone angiotensin II is known to act on specific receptors in the heart and blood vessels, known as AT1 receptors, to increase blood pressure. As prolonged increases in blood pressure can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular dis...

A novel enzyme linking diabetes and heart disease

Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are medical conditions in which the body does not properly regulate sugar (glucose) levels within the bloodstream. They are both increasingly common in Australia, and are well-established risk facto...

The role of inheritance and womb environment in cardiovascular risk of the next generation

Evidence suggests that the environment in the womb can affect fetal development, causing low birth weight and a predisposition to a several types of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, individuals who are bor...

Dangerous heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are serious, and potentially fatal, heart rhythm disturbances (or arrhythmias). They most commonly occur in people with abnormalities in the structure or functioning of their...

Global control of group A streptococcal disease

Group A streptococcal (GAS) diseases, including rheumatic heart disease (RHD), are a major cause of death and disability globally, especially in developing countries. Dr Andrew Steer’s program of research is a comprehensive investigation...

Preventing heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes by understanding role of HDL cholesterol

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries such as Australia. Diabetes is an important risk factor for the development of CVD, and individuals with diabetes have 2-6 times increased ri...

Exercise therapy in obesity: identifying the best prescription

Obesity is a global epidemic that is predicted to affect 700 million people by 2015. In Australian adults, the prevalence of obesity increased by two-and-a-half times between 1980 and 2000 and is currently about 25%. Associated comorbidi...

Regulators of fat metabolism in lean and overweight women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death for Australian women, and the risk of CVD increases after menopause. This may be related to changes in the way body fat is distributed, an increase in plasma triglyceride (TG) conc...

How can we design places to increase physical activity levels?

Insufficient physical activity is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and one for which prevention and early intervention can yield significant benefit. Health-promoting behaviours – such as physical act...

Understanding how federal health care policy affects coronary heart disease surgical outcomes

A common treatment for a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, known as coronary heart disease, is coronary artery revascularisation procedures (CARPs). Private health patients are two to three times more likely than public patients ...

Diabetes and coronary heart disease

As cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death for Australians, understanding the patterns of cardiovascular risk within the community is vital. Knowledge about cardiovascular risk factors and the extent to which they ...

Targeting the L-type calcium channel in the heart to prevent further damage after a heart attack

A heart attack occurs when a blood vessel supplying the heart becomes blocked, depriving the heart muscle of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Although survival after a heart attack has significantly increased over the past 40 years, ma...

Do falling testosterone levels contribute to cardiovascular disease in men as they get older?

Insulin resistance (IR) is a common condition that contributes to diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In some animals, a hormone called undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) increases secretion of insulin and reduces the risk of IR...

Targeting atherosclerosis for imaging and therapy

​Coronary heart disease due to hardening of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, is a global health issue. Although remarkable advances have been made in diagnosing the disease, effective therapies in the clinic rely mainly on prevent...

The impact of early experiences of stress and depression on cardiovascular

​Forming part of the Lifestyle of Our Kids (LOOK) study, Ms Lisa Olive’s project investigates the relationships between mental health and cardiovascular health in youth. The unique strength of the LOOK study lies in the breadth of health...

Dangerous heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are serious, and potentially fatal, heart rhythm disturbances (or arrhythmias). They most commonly occur in people with abnormalities in the structure or functioning of their...

Heart electrical abnormalities and atrial fibrilation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition in which there is electrical chaos in the heart’s collecting chambers (the atria) and, as a result, an irregular heartbeat. AF is the most common sustained abnormal heart rhythm in the Australian c...

Understanding the causes of heart muscle disease

Cardiomyopathy refers to disorders of the heart muscle. These disorders are a fairly common form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and affect people of all ages. They can result in a diverse range of symptoms that may be mild or severe an...

Gene therapy to target atherosclerosis

Most cardiovascular disease is the result of atherosclerosis, a process that causes gradual clogging of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs. Fatty material called 'plaque' slowly builds up on the inn...

Using new imaging techniques and blood tests to predict outcomes in heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. It is a major public health burden that, despite significant advances in medical treatments for cardiovascular disease, is becoming more common ...

Reducing stress for spouses caring for young stroke survivors

Family members of stroke survivors, especially spouses, make significant contributions to the health care system and the wider community by providing unpaid assistance to stroke survivors. This informal family care is important in reduci...

Improving the lives of people born with severe heart defects

Some children are born with a serious form of congenital heart disease where the heart has only one working pumping chamber, rather than the usual two. A type of surgery known as the Fontan procedure is often performed on these children ...

How might B1a B lymphocytes protect against atherosclerosis?

Most cardiovascular disease (CVD) is caused by atherosclerosis – a process in which fatty material slowly builds up on the inner walls of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs. Inflammation can contribut...

Health risks associated with maternal obesity for mothers and offspring

The high rates of adult obesity in Australia and other western countries are well documented, and the connection between excess body weight and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is established.

Clinical studies hav...

Safety and benefits of water-based exercise for people with chronic heart failure

Exercise is usually recommended for people with chronic heart failure (CHF), as it has been shown to improve symptoms and quality of life. Specialised exercise programs are often conducted in hospital gymnasiums, but for people with musc...

Which progenitor cells work best for new blood vessel growth?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Australian community. Despite many recent advances in therapies, there is still a need to investigate other therapies for those people not suited to traditional treatments...

Prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac death after a heart attack

Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in Australia, and people whose hearts have an impaired pumping action after a heart attack are more likely to suffer from another heart attack, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death (SC...

Developing persuasive messages to support rural Aboriginal Australians to quit smoking

Smoking is the major cause of premature death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is highly prevalent in the Indigenous population. Changes in the culture of smoking and a reduction in exposure to tobacco smoke for Indig...

Small coronary vessel function and recovery in patients who have had a heart attack

Damage to the distal coronary microcirculation, which involves the smallest blood vessels of the heart, is a hallmark of heart attacks, or acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Dysfunction of the microcirculation (MVD) following ACS has...

Atherosclerosis and intrauterine inflammation

Atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries, is a chronic inflammatory disease that begins during early life and manifests clinically as cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The significant time lag between the onset of atherosclerosis ...

How the body’s own immune system reacts to heart attack: inflammation and its effects on the heart

Heart attack is the leading cause of death in Australia, and as the population ages, the rate of heart attack is only set to increase. Over the past few decades there have been tremendous medical advances in treatments available fo...

Atrial fibrillation and hypertension: reverse cardiac remodelling post renal denervation

Renal denervation is an invasive endovascular, catheter-based procedure. Dr Alex McLellan and his research group aim to determine whether, in patients undergoing renal denervation for severe (treatment-resistant) hypertension, heart stru...

Improving outcomes for out of hospital cardiac arrest patients

Despite great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease over the last few decades, it remains one of Australia's largest health problems and one of the biggest burdens on our economy. In particular, cardiac arrest...

Understanding the links between obesity and high blood pressure

Obesity and high blood pressure are serious risk factors that increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, heart failure or stroke. While an individual may have one of these risk factors without the o...

A new technique for improved diagnosis of coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death in Australia and a major cause of disability. CHD occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle become clogged and narrowed. If a blood clot forms in a narrow...

The impact of a chronic disease management plan for survivors of stroke

A stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to a part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts. As a result, part of the brain is deprived of its blood supply, which normally brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells. This can caus...

Structural changes in heart failure – links with pump function and health outcomes

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) refers to the development of fibrous tissue in the heart muscle. Like scar tissue, fibrous tissue is very rigid and stiff, and is unable to contract or ‘beat’ as well as normal heart muscle can. This affects the ...

Improving the function of dystrophic hearts

Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating disease affecting around one in 3,500 live male births. Affected boys are born with a genetic mutation that reduces their capacity to regenerate skeletal and cardiac muscle, leading to s...

Sedentary behaviour and women’s cardiovascular health

The risk of heart disease in women increases significantly with the onset of menopause. New evidence suggests that sedentary behaviour (too much sitting, as distinct from too little exercise) is also related to heart disease risk.

Identification of new drug targets to reduce the rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes

Diabetes and obesity are two key risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. However, exactly how they increase cardiovascular risk is complicated and not fully understood.

With this Scholarship, Miss Lauren Corn...

Time spent sitting and its effects on cardiovascular health amongst children

Sedentary behaviour (time spent sitting) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk for adults and more recently in children, regardless of the amount of time they spend doing physical activity during the day. Understanding the eff...

Long-term outcomes and cost effectiveness of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI)

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death in Australia and a major cause of disability. CHD occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscles (the coronary arteries) become clogged and narrow. If a blood...

Understanding clinical decision-making in the management of hypertension in Australian primary care: a mixed methods study.

High blood pressure, known as hypertension, can lead to many serious health problems such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney disease. Hypertension is a leading cause of death and disability around the world, but the way it...

The role of cardiac MRI stress testing following acute heart attack

Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) become clogged and narrowed. If a blood clot forms in a narrowed artery and completely blocks the blood supply to part of ...

The role of high-density lipoproteins in inhibiting inflammatory factors that promote

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) are found in the wall of arteries and veins and their primary role is to control dilation and constriction of the flow of blood to tissues. However, following an inflammatory insult such as stent implantation (i...

FiTIST- Fitness Training in Stroke Trial

Being physically active is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle and it can help reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. People who have already had one of these life-threatening events are at greater risk of havin...

PCSK9 in familial hypercholesterolemia

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), also known as ‘bad cholesterol’, are elevated in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an inherited disorder characterised by high cholesterol. A molecule called PCSK9 helps cells degrade the r...

A new drug target for treating heart disease

The brain subconsciously controls many of the body’s internal organs and regulatory systems through two networks known as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. When activated, these two systems tend to have opposite effect...

Developing new imaging agents to identify atherosclerosis and thrombosis

Atherosclerotic plaques are a build up of fatty material on the inside of a blood vessel wall and can lead to the development of a thrombosis, otherwise known as a blood clot. These blood clots can cause a heart attack, stroke or lung em...

SEARCH-AF stroke prevention study

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal heart rhythm that affects at least 240,000 Australians, including more than 5% of people aged over 65 years. People with AF are five to seven times more likely than the general population to have a...

Physical activity and cardiovascular risk in people following chronic stroke

Stroke is a major cause of disability in Australia that affects over 50,000 people annually. Stroke survivors are at increased risk of serious ongoing health problems, particularly a second stroke. Many of the risk factors for a second s...

Improving the success rate of clot busting drugs in stroke

A stroke occurs when an artery or blood vessel that supplies blood to part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts, cutting off blood supply to the brain cells, which will then begin to die. A stroke can have disastrous consequences, such...

Understanding how gene mutations result in heart failure

On average, the human heart beats about 2.5 billion times in a lifetime. What causes our hearts to eventually fail?

Over the past decade, two new muscle genes (MYBPC3 and TTN) have been identified as the cause of more than a qua...

Novel mechanisms of protection against cardiac injury and death

Heart attack, or myocardial infarction, is a major health problem in Australia and worldwide. Unfortunately, there are new strategies that limit the irreversible cell damage that occurs and contributes to heart failure and death followin...

Investigating the benefits of combining new antiplatelet drugs with clot busting drugs to treat heart attack & stroke

Heart attack and stroke are the leading causes of death in Australia.  Both of these conditions occur when there is a blockage, such as a blood clot, in the arteries that supply blood to the heart or brain.

Treatments for these c...

Developing new technology to improve the success rate of coronary stenting for coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease occurs when the arteries to the heart become blocked and can no longer supply enough blood for the heart to work as effectively as it should. This can cause extensive damage to the heart tissue and potentially res...

Understanding the CVD risk factors for people with diabetes

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. It is the leading cause of death in Australia and claims one life nearly every 10 minutes. Despite improvements over the last few decades, it rema...

Understanding and treating life-threatening heart arrhythmias

Sudden death is a tragic occurrence that can affect Australians of all ages. Heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias) are the most common cause of sudden death. Patients at risk are those with a weakened heart muscle from either a prior ...

Improving preservation of the donor heart used in cardiac transplantation

Over 2,000 Australians die of end-stage heart failure each year, and the demand for cardiac transplantation always exceeds the availability of donor hearts. In addition, available donor hearts undergo a series of unavoidable injuries dur...

Defining the role of cell communication in the blood in the format of clots and heart disease

Cardiovascular disease is a major complicating factor for patients with diabetes. Blood vessels subjected to hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) show increased levels of chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, known as reactive ox...

Evaluation of a healthy lifestyle intervention targeting young people living in out-of-home care

Recent findings suggest that individuals who have adverse childhood experiences, particularly abuse and neglect, are more likely to be obese. There are a number of proposed explanations for this including: childhood trauma may cause psyc...

The role of activating transcription factor-4 in intimal thickening of injured vessels

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, accounting for 35% of all deaths in Australia. Autologous saphenous vein grafts, in which the large saphenous vein of the leg and thigh is ...

Structural and functional relationships in adult congenital heart disease

Improved paediatric surgical care and survival to adulthood has led to an exponential rise in adult patients with congenital heart disease presenting to cardiologists. As a result, they are a complex group, with long-term multisystem med...

Targeting the L-type calcium channel in the heart to prevent further damage after a heart attack

A heart attack occurs when a blood vessel supplying the heart becomes blocked, depriving the heart muscle of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Although survival after a heart attack has significantly increased over the past 40 years, ma...

How can we design places to increase physical activity levels?

Insufficient physical activity is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and one for which prevention and early intervention can yield significant benefit. Health-promoting behaviours – such as physical act...

A novel enzyme linking diabetes and heart disease

Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are medical conditions in which the body does not properly regulate sugar (glucose) levels within the bloodstream. They are both increasingly common in Australia, and are well-established risk facto...

New use for an old drug in reducing the impact of heart attack

After a heart attack, it is important to minimise the loss of heart muscle and prevent it from becoming scarred and stiff during healing, as this can lead to heart failure. Heart failure is a serious condition that is becoming increasing...

The effects of physical activity on bone metabolism, sugar control and cardiovascular risk

The body's regulation of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream is an important biological function. Problems with this process can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical activity is ...

The role of the brain in essential hypertension

Hypertension is a major contributing risk factor to the development of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, and is therefore a component of the greatest cause of death and disability in all societies. Essential hypertension, a term us...

Using advanced imaging to improve treatment of stroke

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in our community. The majority of strokes are caused by a blood clot blocking the blood supply to part of the brain ('ischaemic strokes'). Although some of the brain tissue will die almost ...

New insights into oestrogen and heart disease

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women is increasing. Pre-menopausal women have a lower risk of heart disease than men of the same age, but there is evidence to suggest that the consequences of a heart attack are more severe...

How does depression affect the risk of heart disease and diabetes in young adults?

Depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Some research has suggested that depression leads to CVD because individuals with depression have poorer ...

Is early life diet quality a CVD prevention opportunity?

It is known that people's eating patterns in adulthood influence their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and that the foods we eat as adults reflect habits established earlier in life. Well-known risk factors for CVD such as high blo...

Is legislation the only effective way to get the food industry to improve the nutritional composition of foods on the market?

The link between unhealthy eating patterns and the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, is incontrovertible. As chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disease burden throughout the wo...

Management of families after a sudden cardiac death caused by genetic heart disease

The sudden cardiac death (SCD) of a family member is the tragic result of many genetic heart diseases, and raises confronting issues at a time of stress.

Dr Jodie Ingles' research aims to describe the psychosocial wellbeing of th...

Measurements, patterns and determinants of sedentary behaviour among children

Recent studies suggest that sedentary behaviour – time spent sitting – has detrimental effects on children’s cardiovascular health, whether or not they also participate in physical activity. This is concerning because modern lifestyles d...

Understanding the role of T cells in hypertension

High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can lead to serious problems such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease. Researchers have long known that a system of hormones within the body, known as the renin-a...

Control of rheumatic heart disease in developing countries

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common type of bacteria that, if left untreated, can cause a range of conditions from skin sores (scabies) to rheumatic heart disease (RHD). GAS is a major cause of death and disability around the world, ...

Understanding how the kidneys can protect against high blood pressure

Sustained high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can lead to serious problems such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease.
The kidneys play an important role in the long term regulation of blood p...

Genetic causes of pathological heart enlargement

Heart enlargement (cardiac hypertrophy) is a common condition that is associated with increased risk of serious cardiovascular events. Dr Francine Marques and her research group have developed a laboratory model of genetic cardiac hypert...

Understanding the role of the sympathetic nervous system in long term blood pressure control

The brain controls many of the body’s internal organs and regulatory systems via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS helps the body become active under stress, commonly known as the fight or flight response. Amongst many things...

New methods to combat blood vessel inflammation

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 18% of the total burden of disease in Australia and a condition known as atherosclerosis, in which an artery hardens and becomes narrow due to the build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol,...

Individual, social and environmental factors related to children’s active transport and independent mobility

It has been well established that regular physical activity plays an important role in children’s health and wellbeing. Children who are physically inactive have a greater risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing cardiovascula...

Improving the detection of disadvantaged Australians at high risk of heart disease and stroke

In Australia, heart disease and stroke follow a social pattern, such that individuals living with greater disadvantage are more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than more socially advantaged people.

Risk prediction t...

The role of a bone protein in artery weakening

Weakening of the main abdominal artery, known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), is an age-related lethal disease that affects around 5% of men and 1% of women aged 60 years and older. It leads to approximately 1,000 deaths and 2,500...

Gene carriers in inherited cardiac disease

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) – commonly known as an enlarged heart – is the most common genetic heart disease, and the most common cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under 30. A new clinical subgroup of patients with HCM ...

The role of the kidney in diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which the concentration of glucose in the blood is chronically elevated. More than one million Australians have been diagnosed with diabetes and 70% of associated deaths are due to cardiovascular disease (heart...

Combined use of established treatments with promising new drugs in heart failure

Heart failure is characterised by the heart’s inability to pump blood at a sufficient rate to supply organs and tissue with enough blood that has been oxygen-enriched by the lungs. Mechanisms that promote its development include raised o...

Patient focused cardiovascular care

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. CVD is the leading cause of death in the country, killing one Australian nearly every 10 minutes. Despite major medical advancements over the last...

How sitting for too long can lead to poor heart health

Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are significant and prevalent public health problems. Physical activity can decrease the risk of these conditions. However, reducing prolonged sitting may also be important. This research will add ...

Understanding why quality of care and patient outcome varies for patients with stroke across Australia

A stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to a part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts. As a result, a part of the brain may become damaged because it is deprived of blood supply.  Constant blood supply to the brain is essential...

Too much sitting and heart health

Most Australian adults spend several hours of their day sitting or reclining, be it at work, at home and/or while commuting. Even those who exercise regularly may sit for long, unbroken periods of time throughout the rest of the day. Rec...

Influences on physical activity among children living in urban and rural areas

Dr Clare Hume’s research focuses on the physical activity levels of children in rural Australia. Physical activity during childhood is important for the prevention of obesity and cardiovascular disease; but children's activity typically dec...

Investigating the influence of male sex-determining genes on the development of high blood pressure

Despite current therapies, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 18% of the total burden of disease in Australia. Alarmingly, there are clear sex differences in the rates of CVD, with the mortality rate in men triple that in women. H...

Refining the prediction of sudden cardiac death in patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease: the role of new imaging technology

Some patients who survive a heart attack are left with scar tissue in their heart muscle as a result of damage that occurred. This scar tissue can cause a dangerous irregular heart beat which can result in cardiac arrest and sudden death...

Performance and delivery of cardiovascular health services

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a well-known cause of death and disability within the Australian population. Specifically, hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), coronary revascularisation (restoring b...

The role of phosphatase enzymes in heart failure

Heart failure affects 300,000 Australians and accounts for 2% of all deaths. Prognosis is very poor – approximately 45% of women and 60% of men with heart failure die within five years of being diagnosed.

Despite this, one of the...

Population burden of peripheral arterial disease

Dr Sally Inglis has chosen to focus her research on a common, but neglected, form of cardiovascular disease - peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Sally will try to determine if the warning signs for risk of PAD are the same as those for hear...

Preventing heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes by understanding role of HDL cholesterol

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries such as Australia. Diabetes is an important risk factor for the development of CVD, and individuals with diabetes have 2-6 times increased ri...

A new approach to understanding the mechanisms of congenital and adult heart disease

Despite amazing advances in medicines and in our understanding of how the heart grows and functions, heart disease remains the primary cause of death and disability amongst adults and infants in the industrialised world. To date, drug th...

Inflammation, cholesterol and blood vessel disease: discovering new links to develop better therapies

Normally, a type of white blood cell called a macrophage is involved in removing cholesterol from the body. However, when there is too much cholesterol, or it is altered (which occurs in those with diabetes) these white blood cells cannot c...

Towards treatment of therapy-resistant hypertension

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature death in Australia, was responsible for 32% of all deaths in 2010, and has an economic cost to society higher than any o...

Aldosterone, NSAIDs and cardiovascular risk

Fifteen non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are available in Australia and around 7.5 million prescriptions were processed in 2011. NSAIDs may increase the risk of heart attack, especially in elderly patients.

The risk...

HELP-AF: A randomised controlled trial assessing home-based support and education for people with abnormal heart rhythms

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common abnormal heart rhythm in the Australian population, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing. People with atrial fibrillation have a significantly impaired quality of life and the medical manag...

Do falling testosterone levels contribute to cardiovascular disease in men as they get older?

Insulin resistance (IR) is a common condition that contributes to diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In some animals, a hormone called undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) increases secretion of insulin and reduces the risk of IR...

Understanding how federal health care policy affects coronary heart disease surgical outcomes

A common treatment for a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, known as coronary heart disease, is coronary artery revascularisation procedures (CARPs). Private health patients are two to three times more likely than public patients ...

Regulators of fat metabolism in lean and overweight women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death for Australian women, and the risk of CVD increases after menopause. This may be related to changes in the way body fat is distributed, an increase in plasma triglyceride (TG) conc...

The role of inheritance and womb environment in cardiovascular risk of the next generation

Evidence suggests that the environment in the womb can affect fetal development, causing low birth weight and a predisposition to a several types of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, individuals who are bor...

Angiotensin II and cardiovascular disease management

The hormone angiotensin II is known to act on specific receptors in the heart and blood vessels, known as AT1 receptors, to increase blood pressure. As prolonged increases in blood pressure can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular dis...

Effects of novel treatments on nutritional sympathetic responsiveness in obesity

Obesity and related cardiovascular risk factors can be viewed as the effects of an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure: consuming more energy though food and drinks than is expended through physical activity will lead to weig...