USF Heart Institute
Translational Science
The research activities of the Heart Institute will evolve along selected complementary paths that include basic science, translational science, clinical research, and technology transfer, all of which are aimed at the practical application of fundamental knowledge gained in the research environment. The establishment of core facilities and laboratories to support research, the development of new research programs, and the hiring of new personnel and research scientists will contribute to the growth and success of a number of new Centers of Excellence described below.
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Peripheral vascular disease: Peripheral vascular disease: We will seek to prevent strokes and amputations by developing new ways to treat blockages in neck (carotid) and leg (femoral, popliteal) arteries beyond the use of stents
- We will support research and clinical personnel and establish a new “Center for the Study of Peripheral Vascular Disease (CPVD)”
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Cardio-Oncology: We seek to prevent heart failure that can be a side effect of successful cancer chemotherapy by defining new genetic risk factors for heart damage and devising new clinical imaging methods and genetic blood tests to detect early signs of emerging heart failure
- We will implement new clinical imaging equipment and tools for genome analysis to establish a new “Center for Diagnostic Cardio-Oncology (CDCO)”
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Advanced Imaging: We seek to detect heart and vascular diseases in high risk individuals much earlier than we do now by designing new imaging methods for in vivo molecular imaging that will predict and prevent clinical problems and enabling monitoring of novel precision medicine therapies at the microscopic level
- We will set up state of the art experimental imaging equipment (ultrasound, MRI, CT scanners) and hire skilled professional personnel to manage and outfit a new “Laboratory for Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging (LACI)”
- High Sensitivity Biomarkers: We need to study actual human biopsy specimens in our research laboratories in to discover new human biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (e.g., “exosomes”) by acquiring tissue and blood samples from patients for DNA/RNA/enzyme analysis