Annual Report 2005, Baker Heart Research Institute
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Baker Heart Research Institute | Annual Report 2005 Annual Report 2005 Contents 2 The Baker story 4 Organisational Structure 6 Director’s Report 8 President’s Report 9 A word from our patron 10 The Board 12 Baker History 14 Summary of Baker relationships 15 Research & Divisions 16 Baker Clinical 17 ABMU 18 Experimental Cardiology and Heart Failure 19 Wynn Department of Cardiology 20 Cellular Biochemistry 21 Experimental Cardiology 22 Cardiac Hypertrophy 23 Cardiac Surgery 24 Applied Cardiovascular Research 25 Molecular Endocrinology 26 Molecular Pharmacology 27 Atherothrombosis and Vascular 28 Thrombosis & Myocardial Infarction 29 Cell Biology 30 Clinical Physiology 31 Vascular Pharmacology 32 Cell Biology & Diabetes 33 Lipoproteins & Atherosclerosis 34 Human & Vascular Biology 35 JDRF Diabetes and Metabolism 36 Oxidative Stress 37 Human Epigenetics 38 Biochemistry of Diabetic Complications 39 Kidney Disease in Diabetic Complications 40 Advanced Glycation in Diabetic Complications 41 Genomics of Diabetic Complications 42 Proliferation & Fibrosis in Diabetic Complications 43 Atherosclerosis in Diabetic Complications 44 Cardiovascular Neuroscience 45 Neuropharmacology 46 Translational Proteomics Ramaciotti Centre 47 Human Neurotransmitters 48 Commercialisation 60 Core Facilities 62 Staff & Students 66 Monthly Baker Science Awards 68 Development 67 Donors 70 Financial Report 73 Publications 76 Location & Contact details now in its 80th year, the Baker A comprehensive research Heart Research Institute is program with a strategic focus: The Baker story… Australia’s most distinguished Research at the Baker is broadly cardiovascular research centre divided into four divisions: and one of the world’s leading Experimental Cardiology and Heart organisations investigating Failure; Atherothrombosis and the causes and complications, Vascular; Diabetes and Metabolism treatment and prevention of heart, and Cardiovascular Neuroscience. stroke and vascular disease. Four associate directors of the Baker, each of them internationally At the Baker we are devoted renowned scientists and clinicians, to the prevention and cure of lead these divisions. Together they cardiovascular disease. Every 3 oversee the research activities of research dollar we attract and Annual Report 2005 Baker Heart Research Institute the Baker’s 26 laboratories. spend goes into finding out why A researcher who is at the top of people are getting sick and dying their field in turn heads each of and the best ways we might help these labs. Their research focus them get better and stay alive. ranges from the study of blood The Baker’s close links with The Alfred, We are finding out more about vessels to the complex relationship who is at risk and how we might an outstanding hospital specialising between molecules, from ways stop heart attack, stroke, to improve the health of people sudden cardiac death and the in the most complex and serious acute undergoing or waiting for heart like from ever happening. In this surgery to the organ damage way, explaining what we do is health problems, gives it a special place caused by diabetes. simple. Why we do it, sadly, in cardiovascular research in Australia is even simpler. The figures One of the Baker’s great strengths remain shocking: is that this disparate research, and puts it among the leading research highlighted in the following pages, • An Australian dies every 10 is highly collaborative. Together, facilities in the world. minutes from cardiovascular our specialised staff use state-of- disease, representing more than the-art facilities to build a better 40 per cent of all deaths in understanding of the causes and this country. effects of cardiovascular disease • Cardiovascular disease is the than we’ve ever had. leading cause of death and The Baker’s close links with disability, not only in Australia The Alfred Hospital, an outstanding but also around the world. It is hospital specialising in the most on the rise in developing nations complex and serious acute health and expected to reach epidemic problems, gives it a special place in proportions by the middle of cardiovascular research in Australia this century. and puts it among the leading • More than 3.2 million people research facilities in the world. in Australia are affected by With only a third floor walkway cardiovascular – 67 per cent of separating the two buildings, all families. the unique relationship between the institute and the hospital • Throughout the world, is pivotal to the Baker’s work. cardiovascular disease accounts Some of our scientists are also for more than 16 million clinicians, and this “wearing two deaths every year – more than hats” ensures our research remains cancer, and all respiratory, clinically relevant. digestive and non-communicable diseases combined. Every day Baker staff witness the effects of cardiovascular disease in • Cardiovascular disease is Alfred patients and their families. Australia’s leading health This link is a constant, powerful problem. At a cost of $7 billion reminder of the value and the a year, it makes up 11 per cent urgency of their work and it keeps of Australia’s total direct health the Baker very close to changes care expenditure. in disease trends and treatments. • Over the last decade, the Just as importantly, the Alfred prevalence of cardiovascular connection gives our researchers disease in Australia rose by access to a huge patient database almost 20 per cent. and to human samples of tissue and cells. In return the clinical Our work has never been more services have access to the important. latest ideas and treatments. The combined effect is a strongly committed, disease-focused, well-informed research community with the highest degree of empathy for those suffering from cardiovascular disease. Organisational Structure DIrector Garry Jennings 4 5 Annual Report 2005 Baker Heart Research Institute Chief Associate Director Operating Officer Cardiovascular Neurosciences David Lloyd Murray Esler Annual Report 2005 Chief Head Financial Officer Neuropharmacology Baker Heart Research Institute Associate Director Associate Director Anita Furnell Experimental Geoff Head JDRF Diabetes & Cardiology & Metabolism Head Heart Failure Associate Director Director Translational Associate DIrector Atherothrombosis Mark Cooper Commercialisation David Kaye Proteomics Baker Clinical & Vascular & Research Contracts Ramaciotti Centre Tony Dart Karlheinz Peter Chris Nave Greg Rice Head Head Director Wynn Head Lab Manager Oxidative Stress Fundraising Department of Head Human Baker Clinical Development Cardiology Thrombosis Judy de Haan Neurotransmitters (ABMU) Lyn Brodie David Kaye & Myocardial Gavin Lambert Head Elizabeth Dewar Infarction Cellular Head Human Epigenetics Manager HR Head of Biochemistry Karlheinz Peter Biological Preventative Media Preparation Assam El-Osta Annette Crawford Cardiology Elizabeth Woodcock Head Cell Biology Amy Gatt TBA Head Head Alex Bobik Manager Experimental Biochemistry Media Cardiology of Diabetic Risk Clinic/ Head Complications Ebru Yaman Xiao-Jun Du Clinical Gene Bank Merlin Thomas Head Physiology Head Kidney Disease Cardiac Bronwyn Kingwell Manager OH&S Hypertrophy in Diabetes Head Adrian Quintarelli Julie McMullen Vascular Karin Jandeleit-Dahm Head Pharmacology Advanced Manager Head Jaye Glycation Information Cardiac Surgery Chin-Dusting in Diabetic Systems Head Complications Salvatore Pepe Cell Biology & Jamie Howard Head Josephine Forbes Head Diabetes Applied Genomics Cardiovascular Peter Little of Diabetic Manager IT Complications Research Head Ian Briggs John Power Lipoproteins & Phillip Kantharidis Head Atherosclerosis Head Manager Molecular Dmitri Sviridov Proliferation & Building Endocrinology Fibrosis in Diabetic Infrastructure Head Complications Walter Thomas Human & Steve Droste Zhonglin Chai Vascular Biology Head Head Molecular Stephen Duffy Diabetic Hypertension Atherosclerosis Zygmunt Head Terri Allen Krozowski Proteomics Centre Head Head Molecular Gert Talbo Precinct Animal Pharmacology Centre Rebecca Ritchie Head Debra Ramsey Confocal Imaging Head Alan HIbbs Adenovirus Facility Walter Thomas Head Head Small DNA Sequencing Animal Facility Walter Thomas Xiao-Jun Du Director’s Report › Professor Garry Jennings 6 growth and consolidation have Further growth has occurred Achieving these objectives however By now almost everyone is aware Each year the Institute receives The applications in the Institute Four new companies contributed 7 been key for the Baker this year, with the strategic recruitment of will still leave many people in that obesity and diabetes will a grant from the Thomas Baker of this epigenetic approach so to an important year of progress Annual Report 2005 Baker Heart Research Institute now 80 years old, but in many new scientific groups – strategic the community living with the keep cardiovascular disease at the Foundation. In 2005, at the far range from cancer, to rare in the commercialisation of Baker ways becoming younger by the because they not only share the combined effects of an ageing forefront of community health suggestion of the trustees, a new inherited forms of autism that research. V-Kardia Pty Ltd and day. In part the growth has been mission of the Baker - to reduce and damaged heart. All of us concern for the foreseeable future. initiative was the Thomas Baker appear suddenly in childhood, its US subsidiary V-Kardia Inc are organic, driven by outstanding death and disability from heart, have family members, friends But awareness is not enough and