A new day for cardiac, vascular and stroke research in Hamilton
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/stroke_research_institute.jpg” caption=”Hamilton’s role as one of the world’s leading centres in cardiac, vascular and stroke research was amplified yesterday with the grand opening of the David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute at the Hamilton General Hospital site, an academic partner of McMaster University. The building is named after Hamilton business leader David Braley, who supported the project with a $10-million donation.”]
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Hamilton's role as one of the world's leading centres in cardiac, vascular and stroke research was amplified yesterday with the grand opening of the David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute at the Hamilton General Hospital site, an academic partner of McMaster University.
The research institute brings together two world-renowned research teams led by Salim Yusuf and Jeffrey Weitz, both professors in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster.
Yusuf is an internationally renowned cardiologist, epidemiologist and executive director of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI). Weitz is a globally respected clinician/scientist and director of the Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute (TaARI). Working side-by-side for the first time, these two teams will be able to share ideas and knowledge that will improve the health of millions of people around the world.
"Investigators at the PHRI have made major contributions to understanding the causes of heart attack and stroke worldwide, and what can be done to prevent and better treat these conditions for the benefit of millions of individuals," said Yusuf, who is also the vice-president of research and chief scientific officer at Hamilton Health Sciences.
"This new research facility brings this important group together with another world-class basic science team headed by Dr. Weitz. The synergy between these two teams will substantially increase the innovation and momentum of a range of different types of research activities."
PHRI and TaARI, both affiliated with McMaster University, have international reputations for innovation and excellence. PHRI conducts clinical trials in 83 countries focusing on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and the societal influences on health such as ethnicity and geography. TaARI (formerly the Henderson Research Centre) made history almost 30 years ago with the world's first clinical trial demonstrating the effectiveness of using aspirin to prevent stroke. Since then, TaARI has become an international leader in research on vascular disease, specifically blood clots.
"The launch of this new research facility is a milestone for Hamilton Health Sciences, allowing the hospital to further expand its research programs in partnership with McMaster University," said Peter George, President of McMaster University. "It's through our continued collaboration that we have established internationally renowned research teams that are working to solve global health challenges and improve the lives of people everywhere."
The research institute is a six-storey building comprised of 200,000 square feet of research and office space. It also houses Canada's largest biobank which stores more than 1.8 million tissue and genetic research samples.
The building is named after Hamilton business leader David Braley, who supported the project with a $10-million donation. The entire project, including state-of-the-art equipment, totalled close to $100 million. Infrastructure and operating funds were raised through competitive grants to the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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