Improving patients' lives through research
Research holds a place of prominence in the Department of Internal Medicine. In keeping with the overall mission of The Ohio State University to “improve patients’ lives through research,” the department has a committed faculty of clinical, translational and basic scientists working to discover breakthroughs to end human suffering. Our research programs encompass understanding basic mechanisms of gene and protein dysregulation that result in disease, through translational projects that aim to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics for disease intervention, including clinical trials of new medications in patient populations. In all types of scientific inquiry, the research is patient-centered.
The Heart and Vascular Research Organization
In 2003, a dedicated group of nurses, coordinators and administrative staff gathered together to create the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Unit currently known as the Heart and Vascular Research Organization (HVRO). Since its inception, the HVRO has grown considerably, now handling more than 150 research studies.
The HVRO manages many different types of studies, such as investigator-initiated single-center studies, NIH-sponsored multi-center trials and industry-sponsored trials. Our faculty members have made great progress in patient care through their deep involvement with advancing research.
HVRO manages all aspects of clinical research including:
- Personnel
- Study feasibility
- Protocol implementation
- Regulatory management
- Contract and budget development
- Internal auditing
- Promotion and marketing
In approximately 20% of these active clinical studies, Ohio State cardiovascular medicine physicians are serving as national PIs, steering committee members or data safety monitors.
Research Areas
- Heart failure
- Transplant and cardiothoracic surgery
- Interventional cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Non-invasive imaging
- Genotyping
- Exercise and prevention
- Sleep breathing disorders
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Vascular disease and surgery
- Stem cell treatments
The HVRO is divided into five main specialized teams – intervention, electrophysiology, heart failure, surgery and sleep breathing disorders. Housed within the HVRO are several core laboratories testing clinical trials – echocardiographs, electrocardiograms and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
The HVRO, in partnership with patients, health care professionals and researchers, provides national leadership in clinical trials investigating cardiovascular drug, device, pharmacogenetic and imaging therapies and procedures. By linking the Ross Heart Hospital and the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, the HVRO provides an opportunity for clinical researchers and basic scientists to collaboratively improve patient care and outcomes. It is through this mutual effort that we are able to identify the needs of individual patients and aid in the advancement of personalized health care.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials being conducted by the Heart and Vascular Research Organization include:
- Atrial fibrillation studies
- Heart failure studies
- Interventional cardiovascular studies
- Cardiac imaging studies
- Cardiac surgery studies
- Pulmonary hypertension studies
- Sleep breathing disorders studies
- Stem cell treatment studies
- Vascular disease and treatments
For more information about our cardiovascular research studies, email Cardiovascular.Research@osumc.edu.