Profile and Overview
The Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa (HICRA), within the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town, is part of the Medical Research Council's Inter-University Cape Heart Group, which comprises 3 groups from the University of Cape Town and 2 from the University of Stellenbosch. Groups at the University of Cape Town includes the Hatter Institute (directed by Professor Karen Sliwa), the Cardiovascular Research Unit (Prof Peter Zilla) and the Lipid Laboratory (Prof Dave Marais) - all located within the Cape Heart Centre, Chris Barnard Building, Medical School.
The vision of the HICRA is to facilitate national and international collaborations in its fields of expertise. Coordination of research with complementary research institutes will ensure synergy and avoidance of duplication and completion. To this end, the HICRA will collaborate closely with other research institutes within South Africa, Africa and internationally.
Research interests have been grouped into several areas (see organogram): Cardioprotection, Cardiovascular genetics, Cardiac Disease & Maternity and several Heart of Africa projects. The HICRA uses state-of-the-art genetically modified models to study the molecular, cellular and physiological basis of heart diseases. Echocardiography is used for in vivo studies.
HICRA is an active and productive arena for the training of both clinician-scientists and biomedical scientists. Our state-of-the-art Translational Research hub provides a vibrant and stimulating space for interaction of members from the different research groups.
Aims and Objectives
The HICRA aims to concentrate research activities and expertise, as a focused centre of excellence in Southern Africa, with a view to consolidating and expanding major existing efforts to combat the most serious cardiovascular threats to health, and to improve overall prosperity in the region. Furthermore, we aim:
- to produce the best quality research with international impact and to promote better understanding and treatment of those with heart disease, or at risk of heart disease, in the Western Cape, in South Africa and in Africa.
- to train students in research and to produce future leaders in heart research, thereby helping the University of Cape Town to promote its role as one of the leaders in science in South Africa.
- to promote multi-ethnicity and gender equality in our unit as an example of mutually positive interaction, and fully utilizing the research potential of all ethnic groups and both genders.
- to promote education in heart research and in heart disease. This is done in several ways and includes an annual international meeting "Cardiology at the Limits", in conjunction with the Hatter Institute of London (as advertised on The Lancet website), to which leading academic cardiologists from the UK, Europe, South Africa and other parts of Africa are invited.