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Every day brings us closer to finding a cure for cardiovascular disease - New Zealand's number one killer. Here is the latest from our research laboratories.
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Research Highlights

New drug hope to target silent killer

New drug hope to target silent killer

An exciting new treatment for very high blood pressure is on the horizon after a world-first discovery by Heart Research Institute scientists, who have uncovered a brain chemical instrumental in triggering hypertension, the so-called silent killer responsible for the deaths of thousands of Australians each year.

The researchers are optimistic the results, published this week in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, will ultimately lead to a powerful new treatment that blocks a neurotransmitter and frees patients from the dangers of hypertension. 

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Gout Drug Mends Broken Hearts

Gout Drug Mends Broken Hearts

A drug used to treat arthritis has been found to clear clogged arteries in heart attack survivors, world-first HRI research shows.

The landmark discovery by Associate Professor Sanjay Patel, Leader of the Cell Therapeutics Group, and his team at the HRI paves the way for a cheap, simple and effective treatment regime that could protect thousands of heart patients from future attacks that might kill them or further damage their heart. 

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Stopping atherosclerosis in its tracks

Stopping atherosclerosis in its tracks
A new treatment for atherosclerosis could soon be in sight, with an HRI study finding that progression of the common condition could be slowed using the chemokine binding protein ‘M3’.
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Meet the team: Zohra Kakall

Meet the team: Zohra Kakall

PhD student Zohra Kakall has always been fascinated by whole body physiology and the integration between the brain and other bodily systems. This fascination drew her to the HRI High Blood Pressure Group - which focuses on the way that brain networks control airways, breathing and blood pressure - and led her on a research trip across Europe.

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Dr Anna Waterhouse joins HRI as Group Leader

Dr Anna Waterhouse joins HRI as Group Leader

The HRI is pleased to welcome Dr Anna Waterhouse as Group Leader of the Cardiovascular Medical Devices Group and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Dr Waterhouse’s research focuses on how medical devices – such as artificial hearts, stents and bypass machines – interact with the body. Her aim is to understand the interactions of medical devices with patients’ blood, proteins and cells to develop more sophisticated and compatible materials. 

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