14 November 2006

British Heart Foundation announces heart research boost in Dundee

Scientists in Dundee have been awarded prestigious grants by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as part of a £570,00 boost for heart research in Scotland.

Among those winning awards are researchers from the University of Dundee.

The charity's special grants are made every two months to fund research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, Scotland's biggest killer. In 2005, the BHF awarded 143 project grants across the UK, totalling nearly £20 million.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the BHF, said: "Scientists working on BHF research are at the cutting edge of their fields, furthering our understanding of how to prevent, diagnose and treat heart and circulatory disease, our biggest killer."

"This new round of project grants is part of our £50 million annual spend on heart research - more than any other UK body, public or private, spends in this crucial area. We are delighted that scientists in Dundee are helping us in our efforts to beat heart disease."

Details of the grant award announced in Dundee are as follows:

Grant recipient - Dr Sandy Harper
Research institution - University of Dundee
Grant amount - £101,107
What the project will aim to achieve - Heart rate is regulated by the brain via two nerve pathways. One operates to increase the rate, the other to decrease it - called the 'vagus'. The vagus nerve targets other nerve cells in the heart itself which monitor and adjust the controlling outputs of the brain. Since these cells share the blood supply to the heart, they will be affected by heart attack and angina. The goal of this Dundee research is to identify the impact of heart attack on the functioning of the heart's 'little brain'.

For more information about any of these project grants or to arrange an interview with a scientist, contact Clare Shaw at BHF Scotland on 0131 555 5891 or email shawc@bhf.org.uk. Out of hours, contact the BHF press office on 0207 487 7172.

Notes to editors

* The BHF is leading the battle against heart and circulatory disease - the UK's biggest killer. The Charity is a major funder and authority in cardiovascular research. It plays an important role in funding education, both of the public and of health professionals, and in providing life-saving cardiac equipment and support for rehabilitation and patient care.

* For more information about the BHF, visit bhf.org.uk

For media enquiries contact:

Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk