Objective
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) caused 51% of deaths in Europe in 2001.Coronary heart disease and stroke, which result from atherosclerosis, constitute 80% of CVD. Better prevention and treatments have halved age-specific incidence, but the ageing population and adverse trends in obesity and diabetes threaten these improvements. There is also an alarming increase in heart failure, the end stage of coronary heart disease. Future advances depend on developing entirely new strategies. Genomics and proteomics together complete human genome open up fresh horizons for molecular understanding of cardiovascular disease, for identifying new diagnostic measurements and developing new pharmacological, gene and cell-based therapies. The European Vascular Genomics Network (EVGN) assembles the necessary critical mass and promotes multidisciplinary interactions by uniting 25 world-leading basic and clinical institutions from 9 European countries. It focusses on the three areas with greatest therapeutic potential: 1) endothelial dysfunction, an early critical event in atherosclerosis and hence a target for prevention, 2) plaque instability, responsible for precipitating thrombosis and hence most life-threatening acute events, and 3) therapeutic angiogenesis either conventional or cell-based to recover ischaemic organ function and reduce heart failure. Our research armoury spans genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, cell biology, gene transfer and genetic modification in mice, and integrative pathophysiology in man. The EVGN will maximize the scientific and commercial potential of European vascular biology by electronic data-sharing and communication networks, shared research tools, and exchange and training programmes. The EVGN will train tomorrow's lead investigators through a European training programme for PhD students, which will also address adverse gender balance and encourage excellence in Eastern Europe, which suffers high prevalence of CVD.
Field of science
- /natural sciences/biological sciences/molecular biology
- /natural sciences/biological sciences/biochemistry/biomolecules/proteins/proteomics
- /natural sciences/biological sciences/cell biology
- /medical and health sciences/medical biotechnology/genetic engineering/gene therapy
- /medical and health sciences/clinical medicine/cardiology/cardiovascular diseases/arteriosclerosis
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-LIFESCIHEALTH
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Funding Scheme
NoE - Network of ExcellenceCoordinator
Paris
France
Participants (33)
Bristol
Cambridge
Maastricht
Stockholm
Milan
Zurich
Vienna
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Milan
1627 Kuopio
Torino
Rome
London
Jerusalem
Birmingham
London
Geneva 4
London
Vienna
Paris
Krakow
Krakow
Katowice
London
Illkirch
Milano
Frankfurt Am Main
Mainz
Innsbruck
Bonn
Hamburg
Leiden