Putting Theory Into Practice in Scotland Annual Report 2017 SCIENCE NOT FICTION
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Putting theory into practice in Scotland Annual Report 2017 SCIENCE NOT FICTION. Message from our Message from Chief Executive Director of BHF Scotland In Scotland we are currently funding over the generosity of supporters It’s been another impressive year Scotland’s Out of Hospital who may be vulnerable. Cardiac Arrest strategy, which £70m of cardiovascular research to help for BHF Scotland, and I’d like to start aims to save lives by equipping identify life saving scientific discoveries Despite these challenges, I am by thanking everyone who’s made 500,000 people with CPR skills which will change people’s lives in the delighted that we remain one it possible. by 2020. future. We’ve also trained 215,000 people of the most loved and trusted charities in the UK. And we’ve built on BHF- in life saving CPR since the launch of our Our recent relocation to funded research showing nation of life savers programme. Looking forward, there are central Edinburgh has ensured the relationship between poor opportunities for us to capitalise we are closer to Government air quality and cardiovascular upon our reputation as a world and healthcare leaders. I’m health. We’re working with These are the headlines of the leader in cardiovascular research extremely proud that we’re the Government and MSPs transformational work of BHF to extend our reach further, and Scotland’s largest independent across parties to build the case Scotland, working on behalf of to use our expertise to influence funder of cardiovascular for tackling poor air quality. the 670,000 people with heart decision makers on how best research, with over £70m We can only do this work thanks and circulatory disease. to tackle one of the UK’s currently being invested. to funds raised by our dedicated biggest killers. volunteers and supporters. But we still have so much more This exceptional level of to do, as each year nearly 16,000 We are relentless in our funding is evidence of the Much of our income comes people here die of heart and determination to do all we outstanding research that’s from our 75 award-winning circulatory disease. can to beat cardiovascular going on across Scotland, which high street shops and stores. disease and our incredible will save lives and cut costs for Their remarkable success In order that we can invest in achievements this year are set our partners in NHS Scotland. continues despite challenging saving lives, we have to earn out in the pages of this report. We’ve provided funding conditions, working closely and maintain the trust and I would like to say thank you for NHS boards to deliver with community fundraising confidence of our supporters to our researchers, supporters, services like House of Care, colleagues. And that means and volunteers. The new fundraisers and volunteers a personalised care plan that we can raise even more money Fundraising Regulator was in Scotland, we are grateful helps patients make informed for research to help transform introduced this year to set for everything they are doing choices about their conditions. the future for people with and maintain standards for towards winning the fight for heart disease. charitable fundraising. We every heartbeat. We’ve piloted local genetic welcome these changes and testing services for the Thank you for helping to make have been at the forefront devastating inherited condition that happen. of the sector’s work to deliver familial hypercholesterolaemia the highest standards. We (FH) to help identify those continue to listen to our at risk, with positive results. supporters and adapt, and We’re also working with uphold, our supporter promise Simon Gillespie, partners and the Scottish James Cant, to ensure we do not abuse Chief Executive Government to deliver Director BHF Scotland SCOTLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2017 01 Our research Our fight in strategy Scotland In Scotland nearly 16,000 people die Scotland is fighting for every of heart and circulatory disease each heartbeat. Here are just some of year, and an estimated 670,000 people the incredible numbers that played live with its burden. So we fight on. a part in this year’s battle. To bring an end to heart disease sooner. To end the suffering for good. £12.2m £17.2m £2.7m Total invested in Sales in our BHF Total spent on research in the Scotland shops prevention, survival financial year and support in the financial year £70.2m £8.5m Total currently being Total raised through invested in research fundraising and legacies people trained in life saving CPR to date through our nation of 215,000 life savers programme 02 BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION SCOTLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2017 03 Research in Scotland We are currently investing £70.2m Comparing e-cigarettes in research across Scotland to help us with tobacco break new ground in the fight against Dr Jacob George and his team at the University of Dundee heart and circulatory disease. The are studying the impact of pioneering work being undertaken by e-cigarettes on blood vessels our researchers is helping us transform compared to tobacco cigarettes. the lives of the thousands of people E-cigarettes contain nicotine which can be harmful to blood who are facing a daily battle against vessel health, so the team is these terrible conditions. Here are just determined to find out what some of the achievements from last year. the repercussions of using them could be. Advising government on air pollution Professor David Newby’s BHF- funded project is a world first. With colleagues, Edinburgh- based Professor Newby (pictured left with patient David Smith), has explained the link between £1m grant for air pollution and poor heart- Glasgow scientists health and this year, used their Professor Mandy MacLean findings to advise the UK (centre) and her BHF-funded MSPs see our government on pollution and its research team at the University science up close role in reducing heart disease. of Glasgow received a further We’re dedicated to connecting five years of funding of over BHF researchers with policy- £1m. The team is dedicated makers within Scottish to finding new treatments Government. That’s why last for Pulmonary Arterial year 28 MSPs and five MPs Hypertension (PAH), visited researchers across a debilitating disease that Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, affects over 7,000 people in Edinburgh and Glasgow. the UK. Professor MacLean is Researchers discussed their an international leader in her latest breakthroughs and the field of pharmacology and her role BHF plays in their steps work is crucial to ending PAH. towards ending heart disease. 04 BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION SCOTLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2017 05 Tijana wins first The role of zinc in re-entry fellowship heart disease We are delighted to award Dr Samantha Pitt and her team Dr Tijana Mitić the prestigious at the University of St Andrews, Career Re-entry Basic Science who we help to fund, recently Research Fellowship. She is found a link between high the first scientist based in levels of zinc within cells and Scotland to receive the BHF several types of heart disease grant of £285,000, which helps including heart rhythm researchers return to the lab disorders. The exact role of after a career break. Dr Mitić, zinc in the heart and particularly Understanding broken at our Centre of Research how it influences calcium heart syndrome Excellence at the University release is not well understood, Takotsubo syndrome has been of Edinburgh, is carrying out but we are hoping that the described as an ‘adrenaline genetic research to prevent team’s future findings could Over £160,000 to protect storm’ in the heart, causing amputations in patients who improve our understanding of against heart damage the muscle to be temporarily suffer reduced blood flow. the regulation of our heart beat stunned. It is thought to be a and identify new ways to treat A BHF grant of £161,187 will Damage to vessels due to arrhythmias and heart failure. help researchers from the psychosomatic phenomenon, brought on by strong emotional insufficient blood circulation Universities of Dundee and to the extremities is a major Glasgow find ways to protect responses that change the shape and function of the cause of peripheral arterial against damage caused by disease, for which there are a heart attack. Dr Will Fuller heart. Dr Dana Dawson at the University of Aberdeen is using few effective treatments. It is is the first researcher in Scotland hoped that Dr Mitić’s project to receive funding from the BHF funding to further our understanding of Takotsubo will enable interventions BHF’s Translational Awards that prevent amputations. Scheme. He and his team in and improve diagnosis Dundee investigate drugs that and treatment. could protect the heart during a heart attack and crucially increase patient survival rates. Total currently being invested in research in Scotland BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION £70.2mSCOTLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2017 06 07 Professor Rhian Touyz is based at the University of Glasgow. Her BHF-funded team discovered that excessive free radicals, produced by the Nox5 enzyme, are partly responsible for causing damage and inflammation in small blood vessels. This finding could lead to new treatments and healthier blood vessels for the estimated 15 million people across the UK with high blood pressure – a condition that greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and also dementia. IT TAKES PASSION.Professor Rhian Touyz, University of Glasgow 08 BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION SCOTLAND ANNUAL REPORT 2017 09 Prevention, survival and support Improving the heart health of the nation Genetic testing for HCM is vital if we are to reduce the burden Around 120,000 people across the UK are thought to be living of heart disease in Scotland and help undiagnosed with the inherited save more lives.