Fuqua Heart Center Broadens Research Focus

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Piedmont Hospital’s Fuqua Heart Center of Atlanta (FHC) recently expanded its research focus with the initiation of the CardioGenomics Registry. As the brainchild of Robert Superko, M.D., and Spencer King, M.D., the registry creates a unique patient cohort and clinical repository that will be used to investigate the interaction of multiple phenotypes and genotypes and their impact on cardiovascular disease events and measures of atherosclerosis progression. Because many future research trials will select subjects based on genotype, this repository also will provide a large, well-characterized cohort from which to recruit future research subjects. In addition to the scientific benefits, the registry creates a network for academic and industry collaboration and provides a focus for community and professional education. The CardioGenomics Registry fills the need for a clinical research facility that combines a large number of patients, managed by expert clinicians, with the potential for applying new methods and techniques of patient care as soon as they demonstrate clinical utility. Discoveries from this registry will substantially accelerate the practical application of new molecular and genetic tools that will improve patient care and help reduce the adverse impact of atherosclerosis on the health of Georgians and all Americans.

If you would like more information about research at Fuqua Heart Center, please call 404-606-3150.