News and information from the
Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center
|
|
|
Summer 2009
|
- Story Summaries -
Leadership
Dr. Allen Cowley appointed Director of the Cardiovascular Center
Allen W. Cowley Jr., PhD, Chairman of Physiology, has been appointed Director of the Cardiovascular Center by Jonathan I. Ravdin, MD, Dean and Executive Vice President, effective July 1. He succeeds David R. Harder, PhD, Kohler Co. Professor in Cardiovascular Research, who has served as Acting Director of the Center since June 2008, when he was promoted to Associate Dean of Research.
Dr. Cowley named James J. Smith & Catherine Welsch Smith Professor in Physiology
Allen Cowley, Jr., PhD, Chairman and Professor of Physiology at The Medical College of Wisconsin, has been named the first James J. Smith & Catherine Welsch Smith Professor in Physiology. Dr. Cowley is also the Harry & Gertrude Hack Term Professor in Physiology.
Discoveries
Hormone linked to high blood pressure, blood vessel disease in African Americans
Researchers at The Medical College of Wisconsin have linked higher levels of the hormone aldosterone to high blood pressure and blood vessel disease in African Americans. Aldosterone is secreted by the adrenal glands and causes salt retention by the kidneys. The study appeared in the Dec. 18, 2008, "American Journal of Hypertension."
Role of mutated genes in vascular development discovered
A pair of studies, led by Medical College of Wisconsin scientists at Children’s Research Institute, may translate into rapid molecular tests to distinguish between hemangiomas and congenital blood or lymph vessel malformations in infants. Hemangiomas are common birthmarks consisting of benign tumors of blood vessels. The studies appear in the Jan. 29 issue of the journal "Blood."
Grants
College receives grant to study effects of anesthesia on the heart
The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a five-year, $9 million renewal program project grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to study how inhaled anesthetic drugs impact the heart. Zeljko J. Bosnjak, PhD, Professor and Vice Chairman for Research of Anesthesiology and Professor of Physiology, is program director for this multi-department program project.
Medical College receives grant to study genetic factors related to heart disease
The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a five-year, $3,851,472 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to identify the genetic markers associated with an increased risk for coronary artery disease and heart attack. The study may lead to better understanding of the relationship between genetic factors that influence heart disease and traditional risk factors, such as diet.
College receives grant to study brain blood flow regulation
The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a five-year, $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study how the blood vessels of the brain regulate brain blood flow to ensure adequate supply for proper brain function. Understanding this process may lead to new interventions for asphyxiation, stroke and other assaults on the brain. David R. Harder, PhD, Associate Dean for Research, Kohler Co. Professor in Cardiovascular Research and Director of the Medical College Cardiovascular Center, is principal investigator for the grant. His grant submission received a near perfect score from the NIH, ranking in the top 95 percent, which qualified it for a fifth year of funding.
Board Member Profile
My impressions of the Cardiovascular Center
Sarah Wright Kimball, Cardiovascular Center Advisory Board Director and Public Affairs Committee Chair, explains why she supports the Medical College's Cardiovascular Center.
Honors
Dr. David Harder honored by American Physiological Society
David R. Harder, PhD, Associate Dean for Research at The Medical College of Wisconsin, has been chosen to deliver the 2009 Carl I. Wiggers Annual Lecture, as winner of the American Physiological Society Cardiovascular Section’s Carl Wiggers Award. The award is the section’s highest honor.
Upcoming Events
Cardiovascular Center Golf Challenge set for July 27
The 11th annual Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center (CVC) Golf Challenge will be held Monday, July 27, at Chenequa Country Club. Sponsorships and tickets are still available. Funds generated from the event will support Medical College cardiovascular research. To date, the event has raised more than $800,000 to advance break-through heart research.