Our Mission

The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center was established to expand basic, translational, and clinical research of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases, including congestive heart failure, hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, aneurysms, and vascular auto-immune diseases are the most common cause of death and disability in the United States, and account for approximately 30% of deaths and health care costs annually in this country and developed societies.

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


Rebecca Deaton, PhD & Sohel Shamsuzzaman, PhD

RMB CVRC & School of Medicine MPBP Seminar Role of extracellular myeloperoxidase in atherosclerosis development and late-stage pathogenesis Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease whose clinical complications, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, … Read More

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MR5 Room 3005,

Annet Kirabo, D.V.M., M.Sc., Ph.D. F.A.H.A

Immune Metabolism of Human Salt Sensitive Hypertension Salt sensitive hypertension is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This talk will highlight novel mechanisms in immune metabolism contributing to salt-sensitivity of blood pressure. Associate Professor of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology; Associate … Read More

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MR5 Room 3005,

Baptiste Lacoste, PhD

Gliovascular determinants of neuronal development The Neurovascular Development Research Lab (NDRL), founded and directed by Dr. Lacoste, investigates the vascular underpinnings of autism spectrum disorders and the role of glial cells in postnatal cerebrovascular development. During his seminar, Dr. Lacoste will summarize … Read More

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MR5 Room 3005,

Angelo Nascimbene, MD

TBD Associate Professor, McGovern Medical School, Interventional Cardiologist, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation, UTHealth Houston, Houston TX

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