This Web page covers the work of the Centre for Cardiovascular and Lung Biology Research being carried out within the University of Dundee’s College of Medicine Nursing and Dentistry. It summarises the areas of research considered to be of a national/international quality, and outlines the structure of the composite groups.
The Centre comprises a number of individual Units, however these boundaries are somewhat artificial, and are documented separately merely for ease of description, as 70% of projects are collaborative, with 75% of grants being held jointly between the Units, and 62% of publications having authors from three or more Units. The different Units fall naturally into one of the two major University strategic initiatives of recent years, the Institute of Cardiovascular Research or the Lung Biology Research Centre, in addition to the successful Ageing and Health Unit.
A major strategic development for the School has been the creation of the Tayside Institute of Cardiovascular Research (TICR). Currently completing a £6.5M fund raising initiative it supports 122 vascular and cardiac researchers, supported by 6 administrative staff. It has received grants to the value of over £19M since its formation 6 years ago. Its major focus is translational research with the scientific thrust ranging from basic science, through clinical to population studies.
Similarly the Lung Biology Group have a strong national and international profile particularly in the fields of Asthma and Allergy, where the purpose of the Asthma and Allergy Research Group is to improve health outcomes for patients with allergic airway disease and COPD. There is also significant strengths in lung membrane transport and development and in Cystic Fibrosis research.
In Ageing and Health, another vibrant Unit, the research focus is to evaluate clinical interventions with the potential to postpone the onset of disability in later life. Most interventions target skeletal muscle, and the main research themes are exercise, nutrition and heart failure in old age. The Methodology is mainly randomized controlled clinical trials in very old people (aged ≥ 75 years) with functionally relevant end points.
Major collaborative links have been formed with the basic scientists located on the University campus, especially with Life Sciences, and with other scientific communities in Tayside (see later), thus this webpage, focussing as it does on the College, reflects the core, but not the totality.
The Institute of Cardiovascular Research
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