The Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation – Centre d’Innovation Cardiovasculaire (CCI-CIC) is a new research centre at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute that gives B.C.’s cardiovascular researchers the chance to develop research projects aimed at improving patient care. Launched with the inclusion of 47 cardiovascular co-investigators, CCI-CIC investigates 16 major domains within cardiovascular medicine including arrythmia, coronary and structural heart disease interventions, surgery, congenital heart disease, pediatrics, heart function, basic science and imaging.
For more than two decades, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Anthony Phillips’s research on the brain’s dopamine system has dovetailed with his extensive work investigating plant-derived chemical compounds called tetrahydroprotoberberines (THPBs).
While physical distancing requirements for COVID-19 have proven challenging for most people, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Bill Miller and University of British Columbia (UBC) PhD student Gordon Tao view the situation as an opportunity to highlight telerehabilitation services and how they can be successfully provided to patients in a variety of ways.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Dr. Jeremy Road and colleague, Dr. Chris Miller, recognized that their work with nitric oxide could be a game-changer. They were in the midst of examining the application of the virus-, bacteria- and fungus-killing free radical against non-tuberculous mycobacterial and other infections, and quickly pivoted their investigations towards the new coronavirus.
Sleep apnea affects millions of people worldwide, and while airway support machines can effectively help treat many with the condition, more research is needed to determine the best intervention for individuals with both sleep apnea and heart failure.
“Heart failure can cause sleep apnea or sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke,” explains Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. John Fleetham.
Q: How can I continue washing my hands this often, but also stop my skin from drying out?
A: Every time you wash your hands and they’re wet, you’re adding moisture to your skin. But when you wash and dry the skin over and over again, you eventually leach out all of its natural lipids (i.e. oils) and it can become dry and brittle. The key is to restore some of those lost lipids by applying emollient lotions and creams (i.e. moisturizers) that act as barriers to protect your skin.
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Ben Mortenson chuckles when he says that human beings are not great at doing two things at once or switching from one task to another. He and colleague Lisa Kristalovich at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre have worked together for five years on a number of research projects looking at the dual-task of driving, particularly among individuals with neurological impairments.
Approximately 15-20 per cent of Canadians live with some form of atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema. In a bid to find a better treatment to prevent eczema’s debilitating effects, findings by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) researchers—recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology—have identified a key enzyme that contributes to the condition.
