DISCOVER CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH IN VASCULAR HEALTH AT QUEEN’S
"Heart and circulatory conditions cause a quarter of all deaths in Northern Ireland, around 4,100 deaths each year. That’s an average of 11 families who lose a loved one each day."
– Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation NI
Queen's University Belfast has established itself as a leading institution in the field of vascular research, contributing significantly to advancements in medical knowledge and patient care. The university's commitment to innovative research is exemplified by the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, a globally recognized centre of excellence. Focusing on two critical areas, namely Ophthalmology and Diabetic Vascular Disease, the institute has garnered international acclaim for its groundbreaking studies.
VASCULAR SURGERY
From investigating novel minimally invasive procedures to exploring new diagnostic tools, Queen's research in vascular surgery advances our understanding of vascular diseases and develops cutting-edge techniques for their treatment, holding great promise for improving patient outcomes and revolutionizing the field.
- Surgical aortic valve replacement
- Early surgery vs conservative management among asymptomatic aortic stenosis
- Carotid Artery Dissection and Ischemic Stroke Following Cervical Chiropractic Manipulation
- Patient Outcomes from Open Surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Rationalisation of Intra-Operative Imaging During Cardiac Surgery
- Covid-19 and cardiac surgery – do outcomes differ?
VASCULAR HEALTH IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES
Queen's has been making groundbreaking contributions to the field of diabetic retinopathy. Through innovative imaging techniques and advanced molecular analyses, Queen's researchers have identified key biomarkers and pathways that drive vascular disease progression in the eye. This newfound understanding has paved the way for targeted interventions, such as personalized therapies and precision medicine approaches, aimed at halting or even reversing the damage caused by diabetic retinopathy.
- Queen’s researchers discover a gene that increases the risk of developing blood vessel damage in people with diabetes
- Breakthrough in how diabetes causes vision loss
- Queen’s researchers discover groundbreaking way to treat major sight-threatening diseases of the eye
- Ongoing DIAMONDS trial examining whether micropulse laser treatment is a useful therapeutic alternative to the use of conventional laser therapy
NEW BLOOD VESSEL FORMATION
Queen's pioneering research into new blood vessel formation/repair and the role of Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells (ECFCs) has provided invaluable insights into heart and circulatory conditions. This understanding not only enhances our knowledge of cardiovascular diseases but also holds great promise for the development of targeted therapies aimed at restoring proper gene expression and rescuing ECFC functionality, thus opening new avenues for treating and preventing heart and circulatory conditions.
- Queen’s researcher awarded funding for research into how the body can regrow blood vessels
- Queen’s project to prevent failure of blood vessel grafts receives Heart Research UK grant
- Queen’s spin out company VascVersa secures funding to continue work in developing a new class of cell therapy, Angicyte, which promotes the creation of new blood vessels
- Queen’s to research how Covid-19 damages blood vessels
- Queen’s University Belfast researchers discover revolutionary stem cell treatment