The Cardiovascular R&D Unit (UnIC) was created in 1994 to fill a gap in the translational research of cardiovascular diseases. At the moment, the Centre integrates basic science (Physiology) and clinical departments (Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Cardio-thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Neurology, Pediatrics and Pediatrics Cardiology), assembling investigators from several Departments of the Faculty of Medicine of Porto, from Centro Hospitalar de São João, EPE (CHSJ) among others, accounting 124 researchers, 38 of which are PhD holders. The combination of different basic science and clinical departments allows the implementation of bench to bedside to bench approaches in the study of cardiovascular (CV) diseases, with a significant number of its investigators combining research with clinical activity.

Currently, we are the major Centre in Portugal devoted to the translational approach of CV diseases that currently represent a major burden in aged western societies. Indeed, in this area, we are in the frontline regarding scientific productivity, training and implementing innovative therapeutic approaches. Thus, considering our know-how of almost 20 years in specialized CV research, we feel that updating and expanding our current equipment and services to the public (clinics, scientists, engineers and sports professionals) would allow us to substantially increase the knowledge on CV disease physiology and therapy.

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