King’s College London: King’s BHF Centre Symposium 2022 provides platform for cardiovascular disease-related research
Professor Ajay Shah, King’s BHF Centre Director and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, introduces the BHF Centre of Research Excellence Symposium 2022
The King’s BHF Centre of Research Excellence Symposium 2022 took place in October, providing King’s scientists and clinicians with an opportunity to present their research relating to cardiovascular and heart diseases.
The event, opened by opened by Professor Ajay Shah, BHF Centre Director and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, was the first in-person symposium held in three years, giving King’s researchers the opportunity to engage with colleagues and field questions from them and the Centre Scientific Advisory Board at the end of their presentations.
The excitement of interacting with others during and in between scientific talks and the poster sessions science was palpable – nothing quite makes up for a face-to-face conference!”
– Professor Ajay Shah, BHF Centre Director and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine
The two-day symposium was divided into four sections, expressing the interdisciplinary and varied nature of research that was showcased. The sections included ‘From molecular mechanisms to translation’, ‘Multi-modality Imaging’, ‘Advanced Therapies’, and ‘Emerging Clinical Advances’.
It was wonderful to see the wide range of research presentations from junior and senior investigators and to see the fruits of efforts to really drive inter-disciplinary research – both between cardiovascular and STEM disciplines and between basic and clinical. Another notable feature was the significant efforts to increase commercialisation and impact, for example through spin-outs. The King’s BHF Centre (along with other Centres within the Faculty) provides a very good model for how to add substantial value by leveraging expertise and interactions well beyond a single speciality.”
– Professor Ajay Shah, BHF Centre Director and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine
The second day was opened by Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, who described the challenges and opportunities facing the charity, as well as the ways it has helped fund essential research into the heart and cardiovascular diseases.
It was such a joy to hear first-hand more about the brilliant science happening at the King’s BHF Centre of Research Excellence. We’re so proud to have established the Centre back in 2008, and to have invested £21 million since its birth. I look forward to seeing the groundbreaking discoveries that continue to emerge from our talented researchers – it’s their tireless and ambitious work that will help us in our vision to create a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.”
– Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation,
The symposium culminated in a prize-giving ceremony, which rewarded the hard work of our academic researchers and students. Prizes included Best Post-Doc presentation for Dr Edoardo Schneider; Best PhD presentation to Sarah Grover and Best Clinical Presentation to Dr Rosita Zakeri. The prize for Best Poster was awarded to joint winners, Dr Javier Barallobre-Barreiro and Dr Matthew Ryan.
Dr Edoardo Schneider’s presentation was focused on the identification of novel RNA therapeutics used to enhance gene editing in the heart.
I was deeply honoured to have been chosen for the best Post-doc presentation! This award represents the shared enthusiasm for a challenging, but surely rewarding project, that started in Italy and was further developed at King’s College London, thanks to the support of my mentor, professor Mauro Giacca and the contribute of talented colleagues.”
– Dr Edoardo Schneider