The internationally-recognised medical research institute put its name behind a recent gathering of vascular biology experts who met in Sydney in September to discuss important breakthroughs in atherosclerosis, inflammation, thrombosis, angiogenesis, endothelial function, hypertension and diabetes.
The joint scientific meeting of the Australian Vascular Biology Society (AVBS), the Australia/New Zealand Microcirulation Society (ANZMS) and the Asia/Australia Vascular Biology Meeting (AAVBM) was co-chaired by a national organising committee including HRI researchers Simone Schoenwaelder and Sian Cartland, and involved multiple presentations from a diverse range of HRI specialists. More than 130 researchers from all over the world including NZ, Canada, US, Korea, Singapore, Japan and China attended this Joint Meeting of Vascular Biology.
“The HRI is proud to put our support behind gatherings of leading scientists who are working to disseminate and discuss cutting-edge fundamental and applied vascular research,” says the institute’s director Professor Shaun Jackson. “This unique collaboration in vascular biology is solving some of the biggest mysteries surrounding the health of our blood vessels and circulating cells and diseases.”
The meeting is just one of many ways the HRI supports heart research breakthroughs in Australia.
“The sharing of information in these important meetings ensures local researchers are abreast of the very latest scientific findings that can be put to the test in our laboratories and rolled out in our hospitals,” Professor Jackson says. “Maintaining this rapid translation of findings is a major driver behind the HRI’s work to support research.”
Of the HRI researchers who presented, Freda Passam talked on mechano-redox control of integrin Mac-1 thromboinflammation, while Mike Wu offered findings on the tricky play of dying endothelium with red blood cells and platelets. The HRI’s Jessica Maclean addressed the group on the topic of recanalization and cerebral perfusion with adjunctive thrombolytic therapies in ischemic stroke, while Manisha Patil presented on cell-specific functions of TRAIL critical for angiogenesis and vessel stabilisation Both Jessica Maclean and Manisha Patil were awarded with AVBS Best Student Oral Presentation and ANZMS Best Student Poster Award, respectively. Ashish Misra talked on clonality and plasticity of plaque cells in atherosclerosis while Sian Cartland revealed why TRAIL-expressing macrophages are critical for reducing inflammation and atherosclerosis. Dr Cartland and Arnold Ju co-chaired different vascular sessions, as did Dr Schoenwaelder, who is part president (2017-2018) and current secretary (2019-2020) of the Australian Vascular Biology Society.
HRI is focused on reducing rates of cardiovascular disease, Australia’s number one killer. Much of the burden caused by cardiovascular disease is preventable, with major modifiable risk factors including smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insufficient physical activity, obesity, diabetes, poor nutrition, and excessive intake of alcohol. Other risk factors that are beyond our control include age, gender, family history and ethnicity.
Dr Schoenwaelder (sitting far left, front) who is part president (2017-2018) and current secretary (2019-2020) of the Australian Vascular Biology Society welcomed delegates from across the world such as New Zealand, Canada, USA, Korea, Singapore, Japan and China. The president of AVBS (sitting centre, front row) is Associate Professor Dr Natasha Harvey, Centre for Cancer Biology – University of South Australia