The general aim of the project is the achievement of a cross-border pole of research of excellence concerning the incidence, mechanisms and prevention of cardiovascular diseases with major risk of sudden death in the general population of the DKMT Euroregion.

 

Specific objectives are as follows:

1) Complementary development and improvement of infrastructure for advanced cardiovascular research:

• Modernization of the Animal facilities in the Project Leader’s institution according to the requirements of the European Community Laws;

• Creation of 3 new Research Laboratories: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics in the Project Leader’s institution; Laboratory of Confocal Microscopy and Informatics Laboratory for Data Mining and Data Base Management in the Crossborder Partner’s institution.

2) Implementation of joint translational (from bench to bedside) research projects by commonly using the harmonized infrastructure:

• Basic research studies performed in small and large animal models of arrhythmia and heart failure aimed at identifying pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for sudden death and possibilities of prevention (from diet to conditioning strategies, etc.);

• Screening of population in both countries according to a standardized protocol in order to identify the incidence of risk factors for sudden death with a special emphasize on repolarization abnormalities (from inherited genetical disorders to acquired pathology);

• Genetic analyses of the patients at risk and re-expression of the mutated genes in cell lines that will be further analysed by patch-clamp and by confocal microscopy.

 

3) Promotion and valorisation of the research of excellence by disseminating the results within the scientific community and general population of the region.

 

 

TARGET GROUPS

The main target group is represented by the mixed teams of researchers in the field of cardiology from the partner universities that will be trained to use and will benefit from the commonly developed infrastructure facilities. The second important target group is represented by the population of the region which will be informed about the risk factors of sudden death in order to increase addressability to the special services and the cardiologic patients identified as belonging to the risk groups that will be further screened for the genetic modifications. Indirect beneficiary will be the scientific communities of both sides of the border that will have access to both expensive and frequently needed multipurpose equipment and the research results that might be used to develop new partnerships.

 

Mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases have been reported to be mostly elevated in the Eastern part of Hungary and Western part of Romania. In particular, the incidence of sudden cardiac death, a major problem worldwide, is significantly higher in our regions as compared to the developed EU countries. The most common underlying causes are heart disorders associated with ischemia (in elderly population), but also genetic heart diseases (increasingly in young people, especially top athletes). Moreover, there is a high incidence of chronic heart failure that in association with co-morbidities (ex., diabetes) predispose to malignant tachyarrhythmias and sudden death.

 

Both partners are academic institutions currently carrying on research activities financed from national research grants and having solid background in the field of cardiology.

 

 

Albeit the two universities are major regional providers of R&D activities, infrastructure on both sides of the border needs significant improvements in order to be competitive within the EU research area. By careful planning, these improvements can mutually supplement and support both cooperative cross-border partners. Common development and financing of expensive equipments (difficult to finance separately) will:

i) allow the implementation of joint projects of basic research in the cardiovascular field that use infrastructure in a cooperative manner and generate relevant, statistically significant results for the population of the region view the larger groups of individuals/patients that can to be included and

ii) provide further basis for both  a long-term cross-border scientific cooperation and the improvement of health and life-quality of cardiac patients and general population within the geographic area.

The cross-border cooperation will also enhance the educational level in both graduate and postgraduate directions, thus supporting continuing medical education and continuing professional development, a lifelong learning process required in order to improve the quality of human resources of both partners.

 

Prof. Dr. Andras Varro (project leader and contact person HU)
 

Prof. Dr. Dan Gaita (project coordinator RO)
 

Prof. Dr. Danina Muntean (project assistant RO)
 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norbert Jost  (assisstant project manager HU)
 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ovidiu Fira-Mladinescu (financial manager RO)