Our Mission
The mission of the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center is to support interdisciplinary research in basic, translational and clinical cardiovascular sciences, including cardiovascular development, function, pathophysiology, pharmacology, genetics, genomics, and proteomics, and to apply this knowledge to better understand the causes of cardiovascular diseases and to pioneer development of new innovative therapies and approaches to prevent or treat them.
Goals and Objectives
- To support basic, translational, and clinical research that can be translated into therapies and improve patient care
- To provide resources that enhance research in cardiovascular related diseases
- To disseminate knowledge by lectures, seminars and other educational opportunities
- To support training of pre- and postgraduate students, residents and fellows in the cardiovascular sciences and cardiovascular medicine
- To help integrate cardiovascular research across labs, departments, and schools at UVA as well as with outside institutions including facilitating collaborative studies
- To assist CVRC investigators in developing a plan for translating research findings into products or procedures that benefit patients including providing advice on protecting intellectual property, establishing biotech startup companies, and licensing technology to companies
Christopher Kramer, MD, named President of American College of Cardiology
Dr. Christopher Kramer, MD, George A. Beller MD/Lantheus Medical Imaging Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and CVRC member, became President of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) at the organization’s 2025 annual meeting. The ACC is a global professional organization … Read More
Walsh Lab Featured in SOM Medicine in Motion News for Examining the Role of Clonal Hematopoiesis in Hypertension
Understanding the origins of medication-resistant hypertension is the focus of a new research by Ariel Polizio, PhD, a scientist in the lab of Ken Walsh, PhD, professor of research in internal medicine and resident faculty in the UVA Robert M. … Read More
Luke Dunaway, PhD, Wins AHA Award for Chronic Kidney Disease Research
Luke Dunaway, PhD, a postdoc in the lab of Brant Isakson, PhD, recently received a 3-year American Heart Association Career Development Award. This award will fund the final years of Dunaway’s postdoctoral training and the first stage of his career … Read More
Jonathan Lindner, MD, works towards improved gene therapies
Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center Resident Member and Frances Myers Ball Endowed Professor of Medicine, & Cardiovascular Division Vice-Chief for Research, Jonathan Lindner, MD, was recently awarded a $2,869,442 grant from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute … Read More
Two CVTG Trainees, Kelsey Watts, PhD, and Alexander Clark, PhD, Awarded American Heart Association Fellowships
Two postdoctoral research fellows, Kelsey Watts, PhD, and Alexander Clark, PhD, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), were awarded 2025 American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships. The prestigious one- to two-year fellowships help pave the way to research independence for … Read More
New Research Explores Factors Contributing to Hypertension
Ariel Polizio, PhD, is a research scientist working with Ken Walsh, PhD, to understand the origins of medication-resistant hypertension. Up to 50% of patients demonstrate resistance to medications prescribed for high blood pressure, increasing their chances of developing organ damage … Read More
Darla L. Tharp, PhD
Brains, Blood Vessels, & Hearts: Investigating Cardio-Cerebral Crosstalk using Pig Models of Heart Failure The primary focus of my research is to investigate mechanisms involved in the development of heart disease and associated cognitive impairment, with the goal of discovering … Read More
Ariel Polizio, PhD
Age-related clonal hematopoiesis: A Novel Driver of Hypertension? The rising prevalence of hypertension with age poses a major public health challenge due to its role as a critical risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Parallel to this trend, older individuals frequently … Read More