The Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Science has a major grouping of cardiovascular scientists. Our interests span from cardiac mitochondrial function, membrane pumps, ion channels, calcium signalling, and excitation-contraction coupling in heart cells to platelet aggregation and the intrinsic control of blood vessel calibre as well as control of their growth and permeability in health and disease. It is the plasticity within the cardiovascular system and its modulation by circulating hormones, neurotransmitters and the central autonomic nervous system that holds a fascination for many of us.
Much of our science targets disease states such as cardiac reperfusion injury, arrhythmias, heart failure and hypertension, and in this respect many of us are members of The Bristol Heart Institute and have collaborations with clinical departments (e.g. The Department of Cardiac, Anaesthetic and Radiological Sciences; Academic Renal Unit). Our skill base reaches from genetic, molecular and proteomic to systems physiology. We employ a variety of in vitro, in situ and in vivo techniques including micro-array analysis, electrophysiology, dynamic confocal imaging, virally mediated gene transfer and radio-telemetry of multiple cardiovascular parameters.
Further details can be found in the Biochemistry (use the Biochemistry Department Google search to find all links to Cardiovascular Science), Pharmacology and Physiology Departmental web pages.
