Improving heart health for people living with and beyond cancer

Associate Professor Aaron Sverdlov, The University of Newcastle

2021 Future Leader Fellowship

Years funded: 2022-2025

Recent advances in cancer prevention and management have led to an exponential increase of cancer survivors. Cardiovascular disease has risen in the aftermath as one of the most devastating consequences of cancer therapies, and has now become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. Additionally, cancer survivors are at higher risk of heart disease, not only because of their cancer therapy and because the risk factors for cancer are shared with those for heart disease.

Associate Professor Aaron Sverdlov's program of research is aimed at reducing the burden of heart disease in people living with and beyond cancer. This will be possible by developing better and more personalized diagnostic, screening and treatment options. In particular, Associate Professor Sverdlov's team aims to identify medications that are can be used both to treat cancer and prevent heart disease, and rapidly take them to clinical trials. The team will also trial a new comprehensive multidisciplinary model of care to assess, manage and prevent both current and future risk of heart disease.