Faster translation of lab discoveries into new treatments for people with heart disease

Funding towards enhancing the new Translational Biomedical Centre (TBC)

The BHF is helping researchers in Bristol move lab discoveries into the clinic to benefit heart patients more quickly by contributing nearly £1 million towards a unique Translational Biomedical Centre. The Centre, costing almost £5 million, will foster research and education across different disciplines, and promote academic partnerships with the biomedical industry to translate new heart science lab discoveries into the clinic. The facility will be led by the University of Bristol and funded by the BHF and the MRC. The facility will allow scientists to develop, and clinically validate, a wide range of biomedical devices and lab discoveries before they are tested in people. Research topics will include using stem cells to repair heart muscle and blood vessels, bioengineered heart valve and blood vessel grafts, vein graft failure, heart and lung protection in cardiac surgery, blood transfusion and kidney damage. Based at the University of Bristol’s campus in Langford, the Centre will benefit from on-site clinical veterinary expertise. Opening in March 2015, it will contain state-of-the-art facilities including an MRI scanner, educational and research facilities, and a Biobank – where biological samples will be available to any UK researcher wanting to move their research towards pre-clinical models. The £1 million from the BHF will provide a new X-ray catheterisation lab, to image the arteries and chambers of the heart, extra space for the Biobank, and lab space.