IMPACT REPORT 2019 Finding cures for cardiovascular disease through world-class medical research 02 VICTOR CHANG CARDIAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMPACT REPORT 2019 03 For years the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute has Contents been Australia’s home of heart research. Since , the Institute has made an unshakeable contribution to the fight against About Us 4 Heart Disease Statistics 6 cardiovascular disease, and that PATIENT STORY SCAD Survivor 8 makes us overwhelmingly proud. Chairman’s Report 10 Executive Director’s Report 14 In ­­ we farewell our PATIENT STORY Cardiac Arrest Survivor 16 Organisational Structure 17 pioneering Executive Director, Board of Directors 18 Professor Bob Graham. 25 years of discovery 20 PROFILE Professor Bob Graham 24 Nevertheless, we are confident PROFILE Professor Diane Fatkin 34 that in Professor Jason Kovacic PROFILE Professor Livia Hool 38 Research Divisions Overview 42 we have a champion who will not Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Innovation Centre 44 only continue this legacy but take Sohn Hearts & Minds the Institute to the next level, as Investment Leaders Conference 46 Heart Health Checks 48 the new leader of the organisation. Statement of Income and Expenditure 49 Achievements and Awards 50 Fundraising Events 52 Supporters and Acknowledgments 54 This special 25th Anniversary edition is dedicated Support Life-Saving Heart Research 57 to you, our loyal supporters. After a quarter of a century, thanks to you, we’re only just getting started. Here’s to another 25 illustrious years! 04 VICTOR CHANG CARDIAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMPACT REPORT 2019 05 About Us Our Mission Our Statistics Australia’s home The relief of pain and suffering and the promotion of wellbeing, of heart research through an understanding of the fundamental The Victor Chang Cardiac Research mechanisms of researchers and staff cardiovascular biology in Institute is dedicated to finding cures health and disease. for cardiovascular disease through world class medical research. Our Values scientific publications Excellence: to achieve excellence in research Solving the Our Research Unsolved Focus Creativity: to demonstrate creativity in the Renowned for the quality of its scientific pursuit of scientific discovery laboratories discoveries, the team at the Institute is HEART ATTACK working urgently to discover better ways of Integrity: HIGH CHOLESTEROL to act with honesty, integrity diagnosing, treating and preventing the onset and fairness at all times of heart disease. HEART TRANSPLANTATION With over 200 scientists and doctors working Impact: , to undertake research that has together across 21 laboratories, the Victor ARRHYTHMIA significant impact and makes people tested by our Heart Health Check team Chang Cardiac Research Institute has earned a difference its place on the global stage as one of the CARDIOMYOPATHY most respected medical research facilities in CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE Teamwork: the world. to promote a sense of teamwork and collegiality GENETIC ANALYSIS amongst staff and collaborators 06 VICTOR CHANG CARDIAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMPACT REPORT 2019 07 Discovering why # Heart disease is the single biggest killer of Australians Every minutes one Australian dies from cardiovascular disease Three times more women die of x heart disease than breast cancer Cardiovascular disease costs Australia billion annually billion Each week babies die from congenital heart disease around the world 08 VICTOR CHANG CARDIAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMPACT REPORT 2019 09 “As I did, the public thinks ‘heart attack’ and presumes the victim is an old, overweight man. No one would ever think that a 32-year-old woman At 32 Karlee was a fit, healthy, young would be having heart problems,” says Karlee. woman who adored living in the regional Karlee is committed to supporting scientists to town of Orange. understand more about the condition. She is now Country girl “I was born in the local hospital, went to taking part in Australia’s first research program into school down the road and grew up riding SCAD led by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research the streets with the same friends that Institute. “We need to learn more about this now meet me for a coffee.” Karlee counts disease. I’m just a young woman from Orange making a big herself very lucky. She is surrounded by but I’m super pleased to be making a difference family and has a job she loves, managing to global research and breakthroughs led by the the local service station. But one morning Institute.” As part of the program, blood samples she rose from bed feeling unwell which from SCAD patients are collected to analyse DNA. difference came as a surprise, “generally I don’t get Spearheading the project is Professor Bob Graham, sick. I jumped in the shower thinking I “we have been able to identify a genetic risk could shake it off but suddenly there was factor for SCAD, and we are the first in the world an excruciating pain in my chest.” to create stem cell lines from SCAD patients. This Three years ago on a cold Taking some deep breaths, she waited for allows us to investigate the underlying cause and morning in country NSW, the feeling to pass but it intensified. “It test therapeutics to see if we can prevent the SCAD felt like a horse had kicked me in the ribs, from occurring again, which it can, in up to 30% Karlee Jones started her I had never felt anything like it before. It of cases.” “But”, he adds, “we have a long way Sunday as she always did, slowly moved down my arms, a pressure to go.” and pain that transmitted all the way to As for Karlee, life has returned to normal in lying in bed with a coffee. my elbows.” She adds, “it was almost like country-town Orange, but with one big difference Unfortunately for Karlee a nasty heat that slowly expanded and - her contribution to medical research is now took over my upper half.” supporting women like her around the world. November ­ was no Karlee called her Mum who immediately normal Sunday. raced to her daughter’s home. She found her daughter on the bed, conscious but pale, in shock and scared. The pair rushed to Orange Hospital. What is SCAD? Doctors automatically assumed Karlee was experiencing a simple panic attack, overwhelming anxiety that presented SCAD is a serious condition that results when as pain. Karlee challenged the clinicians an inner layer of one of the blood vessels that immediately. “I just knew I wasn’t worried feeds the heart - tears. Blood seeps between the or stressed about anything, I’m actually artery layers, causing the artery wall to bulge quite the opposite, probably too laid into the cavity, which can slow or block blood back!”. Days later Karlee was correctly flow to the heart, causing chest pain, a heart diagnosed. She had experienced a heart attack, abnormalities in heart rhythm or sudden attack and had a condition known as death. Interestingly, it affects mostly women with spontaneous coronary artery dissection 90-95% of SCAD patients being female, who are Karlee with her son Declan (SCAD). mostly around 40-50 years old and typically have few, if any, traditional cardiovascular risks. 10 VICTOR CHANG CARDIAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMPACT REPORT 2019 11 A Message From The Chairman It has been an enormous The Institute was established in 1994, in The second ingredient to the Institute’s long honour of Dr Victor Chang, a humanitarian term success has obviously been leadership. privilege to be the Chairman and pioneer of modern heart transplantation. How else could you build an Institute from a of the Victor Chang Cardiac According to those who knew him well, Dr handful of scientists into a world leading heart Chang was passionate about the power of research enterprise with over 200 scientists, Research Institute as we discovery and he had a bold vision to establish led by global leaders in their respective fields a world-class research institute, knowing that and responsible for some of the world’s most celebrate its th Anniversary. while he could save hundreds of lives through important breakthroughs in cardiovascular I am only the third Chairman in surgery, he could save thousands more research? through research. its -year history, following in And for that we are all very fortunate that Bob brought this vision to life, as a caring a young man by the name of Bob Graham, the footsteps of Steven Lowy AM clinician, a pioneer of molecular cardiology, who at the age of 45, decided to return home and above all else, a true leader who has after 17 years of working in the US at some and the founding Chairman the successfully fostered scientific excellence and of the most prestigious medical research Hon Neville Wran AC QC. innovation at the Institute for 25 years. organisations, under the tutelage of not one but two Nobel Laureates. Honouring and thanking Professor The longevity of my As many of you know, Bob is an amazing Robert Graham for his service to individual with extraordinary kindness and predecessors and my own the Institute and the community a razor like intellect across almost any field. commitment to the Institute can As a relative newcomer to the Institute, it He’s a pioneer of molecular cardiology and, didn’t take me long to recognise why the above all else, a true leader who, with an be attributed to one man, our Institute has enjoyed so much success over enormous generosity of spirit, has fostered such a long and sustained period. It really the development of so many scientists on the Founding Executive Director, world stage in cardiovascular research. Professor Robert Graham AO, came down to two key ingredients. First of all, the Institute has incredibly strong I have learnt so much from Bob in these past 6 who has been at the helm for the foundations.