Cardiovascular Diseases Research

Cardiovascular Diseases Research is a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (NHLBI/NIH) that funds biomedical research aimed at understanding, preventing, and treating cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart disease.

The Division of Cardiovascular Sciences (DCVS) supports research across seven scientific branches, with a focus on heart and vascular health across the lifespan, diverse populations, and innovative diagnostic and treatment technologies. The program also funds research training and career development for emerging cardiovascular investigators.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit organizations, and individuals. Award amounts vary; applicants should consult Grants. gov for current funding opportunity announcements and deadlines.

Division of Cardiovascular Sciences | NHLBI, NIH < Back To Divisions, Offices and Centers Division of Cardiovascular Sciences Division of Cardiovascular Sciences Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women, despite a 71 percent decrease in death rates since the NHLBI began making long-term investments in biomedical research more than 60 years ago.

The Division of Cardiovascular Sciences (DCVS) supports research to advance understanding of and interventions for promoting heart and vascular health across the lifespan. It also supports research aimed at preventing and treating pediatric and adult cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart disease.

In addition, the Division supports the development of innovative technologies to diagnose, prevent, and treat cardiovascular disease, and it offers research training and career development for current and aspiring investigators in cardiovascular sciences to foster the next generation of research discoveries. DCVS has a rich history of supporting robust and ambitious extramural research across the United States and around the world.

Research priorities are divided into seven branches that fall under three major programs.

Related Scientific Focus Areas Promoting Heart Health and Fighting Cardiovascular Disease in Every Possible Way Division of Cardiovascular Sciences With particular focus on understanding how these diseases impact diverse populations, research within the Division has changed people’s lifestyle choices, communities’ health policies, and physicians’ practices, including how they diagnose, assess, and treat cardiovascular disease for every patient.

Research supporting these discoveries takes many forms, including: Epidemiological cohort studies that investigate genetic, behavioral, sociocultural, systemic, and environmental influences on disease risk and outcomes, as well as monitor risk factors and disease patterns in specific populations.

One example is the Jackson Heart Study , which seeks to identify contributors to the increased incidence and mortality rate of cardiovascular disease among African Americans. Clinical trial networks to enhance participant recruitment, data collection, and analysis. and to encourage collaboration among investigators with unique expertise.

For example, the Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) conducts research to improve outcomes and quality of life for children with congenital and pediatric heart diseases. The PHN has nine main clinical sites and has enrolled more than 3,500 patients.

Basic and translational science investigations to understand and ensure that vital new devices and treatments advance to clinical testing, such as the Pumps for Kids, Infants, and Neonates (PumpKIN) initiative supporting the development of needed novel child-sized mechanical circulatory support devices.

Studies of prevention and treatment strategies that inform improvements to clinical care and public health, including trials such as the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) , which has demonstrated the benefit of setting lower blood pressure targets for reducing heart attack, heart failure, and stroke, as well as death from these conditions.

Leading Multi-Institutional Collaborations to Advance Research Progress Division of Cardiovascular Sciences The Division leads many partnerships and collaborations that reach throughout the NHLBI, across the entire National Institutes of Health, and to other agencies, all with the shared goal of advancing the understanding of every aspect of cardiovascular diseases.

Trans-agency partners include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and many others. The NHLBI also participates in international cardiovascular research collaborations, such as the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum .

This coalition of major international cardiovascular research funders aims to advance cardiovascular health by catalyzing, supporting, and promoting transformational international research efforts in heart, stroke, and circulatory diseases.

Achieving the NHLBI Strategic Vision through Collaboration Division of Cardiovascular Sciences The Division relies on comprehensive community input to develop research priorities and target support for relevant science that will advance cardiovascular health in the United States. Learn more about the NHLBI’s Strategic Vision , including objectives and research priorities. Gina S.

Wei, M. D. , M.

P. H. Nicole Redmond, M.

D. , Ph. D.

, M. P. H.

Acting Associate Director Yves Rosenberg, M. D. , M.

P. H. Chief Medical Research Officer Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Research Program The Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Research Program focuses on heart function from birth through adulthood.

Specific focus areas include coronary artery disease and atherothrombosis, cardiac development, pediatric and congenital heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, myocardial protection from ischemia, and resuscitation science. Branches within this program include the Atherothrombosis and Coronary Artery Disease Branch, Heart Development and Structural Diseases Branch, and Heart Failure and Arrhythmias Branch.

View funding information for the Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Research Program . Basic and Early Translational Research Program The Basic and Early Translational Research Program emphasizes the development of imaging and diagnostics, therapeutics, and devices for cardiac support and repair.

The program supports evidence-based surgical and clinical research that advances promising new techniques, bioinformatics, and computational and systems biology, as well as the study of the vascular system, lymphatics, and blood pressure regulation. Branches within this program include the Advanced Technologies and Surgery Branch and Vascular Biology and Hypertension Branch.

View funding information for the Basic and Early Translational Research Program . Prevention and Population Sciences Program The Prevention and Population Sciences Program focuses on a wide range of research in epidemiology and prevention.

Major activities supported include population-based cohort studies; studies of genetic, behavioral, and environmental influences on disease risk and outcomes; and clinical trials focused on prevention and improvements to clinical care and public health. Branches within this program include the Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch and Epidemiology Branch.

View funding information for the Prevention and Population Sciences Program . Office of Clinical Research The Office of Clinical Research is responsible for coordinating clinical research oversight and regulatory activities among NHLBI extramural divisions.

This includes developing and maintaining standard operating procedures, guiding policy and practice, developing database and informatics tools to facilitate clinical research oversight, providing staff support to NHLBI-funded trials, and managing NHLBI’s data and safety monitoring boards and other clinical research oversight boards.

OCR staff conduct training, and advise NHLBI staff and extramural investigators about clinical research conduct and requirements. View funding information for the Office of Clinical Research . katherine.

kavounis@nih. gov Office of Research Training & Career Development The Office of Research Training and Career Development supports training and career development programs in cardiovascular research, offering opportunities to individuals at all educational levels, from high school students to academic faculty, and it includes programs for individuals from diverse populations.

The office supports institutional and individual research training programs for training of promising cardiovascular scientists at the predoctoral, postdoctoral, junior faculty, and established investigator levels. View funding information for the Office of Research Training and Career Development .

The Office of the Director provides leadership and supports basic, clinical, population, and health services research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Related Scientific Focus Areas Heart and Vascular Diseases Precision Medicine Activities Population and Epidemiology Studies Omega-3s for heart health?

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