WS 15 - Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular disease represents one of the major threats to human health. As longevity and prosperity increase globally, changing nutrition and a more sedentary life style drive increasing risk for acute and chronic cardiovascular disease. Whilst the costs for societies are steadily growing, research budgets and the emergence of new therapies do not keep pace. Consequently, the medical need and societal importance to advance both our understanding of fundamental pathomechanisms and to develop effective means to prevent and treat a 'pandemic' of heart failure and multiorgan damage associated with poor microvascular health is greater than ever before.

From the perspective of the individual, understanding the particular link between genetic predisposition, epigenetic imprinting of environmental and lifestyle related influences on cardiovascular tissues, and the specific manifestation or phenotypic spectrum appears to be paramount for the development of personalized and highly effective/tailored treatments. From a population perspective, however, understanding global correlations, risk factors and preventive opportunities as well as generic treatment opportunities for this systems-wide pathology, with particular attention to the differing conditions in the regions of the world appears the most urgent demand.

This workshop therefore aims to portray on the one hand state-of-the art science approaches that unravel the epidemiology and population genetics/genomics, risk factors and global treatment options to benefit 'the many' and on the other hand those that dig deeper into the disease mechanisms of the individual to optimally treat 'the few'. Perspectives from international medical experts, epidemiologists, experimental researchers and pharma industry leaders will shape the discussion on emerging issues in cardiovascular health research.