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The Australasian section of the international society for heart research
Heart, Lung and Circulation 2002; 11: 74–75
Editorial The Australasian Section of the International Society for Heart Research Lindsay Brown, PhD President, Australasian Section of the International Society for Heart Research School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia
T
here is a long and rich history of cardiovascular research in Australia and New Zealand, both by clinicians and basic scientists. Early projects (both approximately 50 years ago) included those by Sir Horace Smirk in Dunedin using ganglion blockers to treat hypertensive patients and by Roland Thorp at the University of Sydney cultivating foxglove for studies on digoxin. The International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), which began as the International Study Group for Research in Cardiac Metabolism in 1968, holds annual scientific meetings of its eight sections and a World Congress every 3 years. The last World Congress was held in Winnipeg, Canada in July 2001. The major objective of the World Congress is the promotion of the exchange of ideas between those interested in cardiovascular research around the world. Cardiovascular researchers from Australia and New Zealand formed their own section of the ISHR in 1977. Mark Wahlquist, Winifred Nayler, Franklin Rosenfeldt, John Gavin and I have had the privilege of leading this section. Winifred Nayler was also the world ISHR President from 1983–1986 and organised a successful ISHR World Congress in Melbourne in February 1986. The Australasian section of ISHR is the smallest in the world. Our annual meetings have been held in most capital cities in Australia and New Zealand, including picturesque locations such as Maleny in Queensland in 1996, the Quarantine Station on North Head in Sydney in 1993 and 1998, and Pakatoa Island in the Gulf of Auckland in 1999. These meetings often directly precede the CSANZ Annual Scientific Meetings as in Adelaide in 1994, Melbourne in 1997 (for the Hobart CSANZ meeting), Wellington in 1999 and Melbourne in 2000. In many cases,
the ISHR and CSANZ have held successful joint symposia on basic cardiovascular science at the CSANZ meetings. With the help of the CSANZ, many international scientists have been guests at our meetings. A key aim of our section is to provide young investigators with a forum to discuss their research. Our 2001 section meeting was held in Brisbane as a satellite following the Christchurch International Union Physiological Sciences World Congress. The aim of the meeting was to generate discussion on appropriate experimental models for cardiovascular research. This aim was comprehensively fulfilled. There were 85 attendees to enjoy the beautiful setting of The Bardon Conference Centre in the foothills of Mount Coot-tha overlooking Brisbane. The format was two and a half days of plenary sessions. International guests included David Hearse (UK), Jim Downey (USA), Ed Lakatta (USA), Anne-Marie Seymour (UK), Joachim Herzig (South Africa), Ted Kurtz (USA), Michal Pravanec (Czech Republic), Qingbo Xu (UK), Dimitri Scholz (Germany), Thomas Eschenhagen (Germany), Bruce Smaill (New Zealand), Alberto Kaumann (UK) and Teruhiyo Toyo-Oka (Japan). The next Australasian ISHR section meeting will be held as part of the Australian Health and Medical Research meetings in Melbourne from 25–29 November 2002. This exciting venture will be a joint meeting with at least 24 other societies involved in medical research in Australasia, including the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), the Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (see http://www.asnevents.net.au/congress/ for details).
Heart, Lung and Circulation 2002; 11
Brisbane is the chosen site for the next ISHR World Congress to be held from 7–11 August 2004, which will be an integrated meeting with the Annual Scientific Meeting of the CSANZ. These meetings will follow the next World Congress of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics to be held from 1–6 August. Brisbane is an ideal venue for major conferences. Information on this World Congress will be updated on our website (http:// www.heart2004.com). Both clinical and basic cardiovascular research in Australia continue to be strongly supported by the National Heart Foundation under its current Director of Health, Medical and Scientific Affairs, Andrew Tonkin. This support has helped Australian cardiovascular researchers to continue world-class research. One example is the large Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) trial.
L. Brown Editorial
75
The Australasian ISHR has an important role in promoting basic cardiovascular research and fostering communication between scientists, clinicians and surgeons interested in cardiovascular research. As part of this role, we are pleased to present several communications from our 2001 meeting as full papers in this and the next issue of Heart, Lung and Circulation. For this opportunity, we would like to thank the Publishers, together with Franklin Rosenfeldt (Editor-in-Chief) and Salvatore Pepe (Cardiovascular Science Editor). We hope that all scientists and clinicians interested in cardiovascular research will consider becoming members of the ISHR and also contributing to our scientific meetings. All details are available on our website (http://www.baker.edu.au/ISHR). We look forward to welcoming you to our meetings!
Editorial The Australasian Section of the International Society for Heart Research Lindsay Brown, PhD President, Australasian Section of the International Society for Heart Research School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia
T
here is a long and rich history of cardiovascular research in Australia and New Zealand, both by clinicians and basic scientists. Early projects (both approximately 50 years ago) included those by Sir Horace Smirk in Dunedin using ganglion blockers to treat hypertensive patients and by Roland Thorp at the University of Sydney cultivating foxglove for studies on digoxin. The International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), which began as the International Study Group for Research in Cardiac Metabolism in 1968, holds annual scientific meetings of its eight sections and a World Congress every 3 years. The last World Congress was held in Winnipeg, Canada in July 2001. The major objective of the World Congress is the promotion of the exchange of ideas between those interested in cardiovascular research around the world. Cardiovascular researchers from Australia and New Zealand formed their own section of the ISHR in 1977. Mark Wahlquist, Winifred Nayler, Franklin Rosenfeldt, John Gavin and I have had the privilege of leading this section. Winifred Nayler was also the world ISHR President from 1983–1986 and organised a successful ISHR World Congress in Melbourne in February 1986. The Australasian section of ISHR is the smallest in the world. Our annual meetings have been held in most capital cities in Australia and New Zealand, including picturesque locations such as Maleny in Queensland in 1996, the Quarantine Station on North Head in Sydney in 1993 and 1998, and Pakatoa Island in the Gulf of Auckland in 1999. These meetings often directly precede the CSANZ Annual Scientific Meetings as in Adelaide in 1994, Melbourne in 1997 (for the Hobart CSANZ meeting), Wellington in 1999 and Melbourne in 2000. In many cases,
the ISHR and CSANZ have held successful joint symposia on basic cardiovascular science at the CSANZ meetings. With the help of the CSANZ, many international scientists have been guests at our meetings. A key aim of our section is to provide young investigators with a forum to discuss their research. Our 2001 section meeting was held in Brisbane as a satellite following the Christchurch International Union Physiological Sciences World Congress. The aim of the meeting was to generate discussion on appropriate experimental models for cardiovascular research. This aim was comprehensively fulfilled. There were 85 attendees to enjoy the beautiful setting of The Bardon Conference Centre in the foothills of Mount Coot-tha overlooking Brisbane. The format was two and a half days of plenary sessions. International guests included David Hearse (UK), Jim Downey (USA), Ed Lakatta (USA), Anne-Marie Seymour (UK), Joachim Herzig (South Africa), Ted Kurtz (USA), Michal Pravanec (Czech Republic), Qingbo Xu (UK), Dimitri Scholz (Germany), Thomas Eschenhagen (Germany), Bruce Smaill (New Zealand), Alberto Kaumann (UK) and Teruhiyo Toyo-Oka (Japan). The next Australasian ISHR section meeting will be held as part of the Australian Health and Medical Research meetings in Melbourne from 25–29 November 2002. This exciting venture will be a joint meeting with at least 24 other societies involved in medical research in Australasia, including the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), the Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (see http://www.asnevents.net.au/congress/ for details).
Heart, Lung and Circulation 2002; 11
Brisbane is the chosen site for the next ISHR World Congress to be held from 7–11 August 2004, which will be an integrated meeting with the Annual Scientific Meeting of the CSANZ. These meetings will follow the next World Congress of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics to be held from 1–6 August. Brisbane is an ideal venue for major conferences. Information on this World Congress will be updated on our website (http:// www.heart2004.com). Both clinical and basic cardiovascular research in Australia continue to be strongly supported by the National Heart Foundation under its current Director of Health, Medical and Scientific Affairs, Andrew Tonkin. This support has helped Australian cardiovascular researchers to continue world-class research. One example is the large Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) trial.
L. Brown Editorial
75
The Australasian ISHR has an important role in promoting basic cardiovascular research and fostering communication between scientists, clinicians and surgeons interested in cardiovascular research. As part of this role, we are pleased to present several communications from our 2001 meeting as full papers in this and the next issue of Heart, Lung and Circulation. For this opportunity, we would like to thank the Publishers, together with Franklin Rosenfeldt (Editor-in-Chief) and Salvatore Pepe (Cardiovascular Science Editor). We hope that all scientists and clinicians interested in cardiovascular research will consider becoming members of the ISHR and also contributing to our scientific meetings. All details are available on our website (http://www.baker.edu.au/ISHR). We look forward to welcoming you to our meetings!