Alan Daugherty, PhD, DSc; Vicky King, PhD; Hong Lu, MD, PhD; Venkat Subramanian, PhD

Steve Leung, MD; Vince Sorrell, MD, Mikel Smith, MD, M. Elizabeth Oates, MD

Zhenyu Li, MD, PhD; Binggang Xiang, PhD; Adrian Messerli, MD; David J. Moliterno, MD

Ken Campbell, PhD

Michael Sekela, MD

The Aortopathy Alliance Research Center (UK-AARC) is led by Alan Daugherty, PhD and Lisa Cassis, PhD. 

Aortopathies are a spectrum of diseases in which specific regions of the aorta pathologically dilate, dissect, or rupture with a high risk for death. There is no validated medical therapy. Although there are advances in surgical treatment, the mortality rate remains high due to the nature of these diseases and insufficient guidelines available for the optimal time of the surgery. This program is to create a “best in class” by developing the pinnacle of this critical research area for health. UK already has great depth in the faculty and facilities of this research arena, with its basic research scientists being one of the most National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded institutions in the country in this research area. The intent of the alliance is to parlay the existing strengths of basic science researchers to enhance the translation of their research to the clinical and population arena.

The alliance will also assist the development of early-career clinical faculty to become extramurally funded physician-scientists. The development of the physician-scientist community will be assisted by our recent acquisition of funding for a center with one of the most highly NIH-funded physician-scientists in aortopathy research, Scott LeMaire, MD, at Baylor College of Medicine. With the mechanisms of this American Heart Association (AHA) funding for the UK-Baylor Aortic Center, Dr. LeMaire will provide assistance in the development of physician-scientists, including surgeons, at UK.  Overall, the alliance is designed to enhance the acquisition of programmatic funding and facilitate the research careers of clinicians who are heavily vested solely in the clinical care of patients with aortopathies.

The Myocardial Recovery Alliance (MYRA) is led by Ken Campbell, PhD, and Emma Birks, MD, PhD. 

The MYRA supports the cardiovascular research priority area by:

• capitalizing on our national-level clinical strength in advanced heart failure.
• building transdisciplinary research programs that bridge from basic to clinical science.
• supporting junior faculty as they develop research programs focused on myocardial recovery.
• facilitating training of students, residents, and fellows as they seek to improve treatments for patients who have heart failure.

The Transdisciplinary Implementation Science Alliance (TISA) is led by Jing Li, MD, MS, (lead chair), Jerod Stapleton, PhD, and Gretchen Wells, MD, PhD.

TISA includes two key components—a proposed study targeting cardio-oncology practice research, which aims for subsequent extramural funding (R01 or equivalent) submission, and establishment of a transdisciplinary implementation team at UK that will increase resources to build an implementation science network, mentor junior faculty, and pursue federal grant funding. The TISA team innovatively integrates two research priority areas (RPAs) as defined in the University's vice president for research's strategic initiative: cardiovascular sciences and oncology sciences. Cardiovascular toxicities from chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted or hormonal treatments interfere with optimal cancer management, decrease quality of life, and affect overall survival.

TISA leverages two of UK’s strongest resources — Markey Cancer Center and Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, by proposing a much needed, innovative platform that integrates research and fosters multidisciplinary collaboration to tackle gaps in our knowledge and ultimately improve both cancer- and cardiovascular-related health outcomes in this growing population. TISA co-chairs have had meetings with RPA leadership and obtained their letters of support. Among currently identified early-career faculty, there are several in either the Markey Cancer Center or in cardiology who will receive mentoring in conducting implementation science research and plan to pursue National Cancer Institute and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute implementation science funding opportunity announcements. All TISA educational sessions and collaborative events will be coordinated with cancer and cardiovascular RPAs.

Virus Induced Thrombosis Alliance (VITAL) is led by Beth Garvy, PhD and Sidney "Wally" Whiteheart, PhD. Thrombosis, the formation of clots in blood vessels, lies at the root of the causes of many cardiovascular disease deaths such as strokes, heart attacks, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Infectious disease can increase the chance of this coagulation dysfunction, and some viral infections, including HIV1+/AIDS, double the risk of occlusive cardiovascular disease. VITAL is investigating why infections cause an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The combination of cardiology and virology is critical, especially now, as the effect of COVID-19 on clotting becomes clear. VITAL’s initial focus on the thrombotic risks associated with HIV1+/AIDS has grown into a collaboration with the Bluegrass Care Clinic to examine coagulation dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.

Follow for updates on VITAL here.

The Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (SCRC) is responsible for producing our most important basic science research. Through extramurally funded programs, SCRC physician-scientists and researchers work in the laboratory studying fundamental functions of the cardiovascular system, such as atherosclerosis and aneurysm, cardiac imaging, bioactive lipid mediators, platelet function and thrombosis, and stem-cell biology. Their research is often the building blocks for our clinical trial research to better understand and uncover cures for various cardiovascular conditions.

For information on the Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences visit: www.ccts.uky.edu