At the heart of the CNIC’s mission is a shift from the traditional emphasis on treating clinical events to a strategy focused on identifying CVD in its preclinical stages and promoting health. This vision fosters a cohesive and flexible
strategy that embraces research infrastructure, professional training, and a clear focus on cross-disciplinary collaborations between basic and clinical researchers to ensure that acquired knowledge is translated into real health benefits.
To support its clinical research activity, in 2018 the CNIC established the Clinical Trials Coordination Unit (UCEC); in addition to supervising clinical trials, the UCEC also organizes clinical research with medicines and healthcare
products.
This report offers an overview of how our young, energetic team of dedicated scientists, clinicians, and technicians is bringing this vision to reality. Reading these pages, what gives us the greatest pleasure is to see how
the breadth of the CNIC’s research activity integrates the Center into society at so many levels. As you would expect, there are breakthroughs at the frontiers of basic and clinical research. This year, these discoveries span from
work showing ways to control the damage caused by the immunoinflammatory response to the discovery of the cause of accelerated atherosclerosis and premature death in progeria.
The impressive collection of high-impact publications in 2018 also documents the CNIC’s wider social engagement. The Center’s translational studies bear testimony to the enthusiastic participation of healthy volunteers, patients, and emergency
service personnel in efforts to define the causes and risk factors of CVD. This commitment of citizens and professionals outside the research community is making essential contributions to advancing the use of noninvasive imaging technology
for diagnosis and research. The CNIC’s commitment to public health promotion is also evident in educational programs that start with children from an early age, teaching core health knowledge and instilling a positive emotional attitude.
The Center’s public outreach links seamlessly with our strong commitment to training at all levels, from programs to encourage a scientific vocation among high school students to continuing professional training programs for scientists
and physicians.
Through these endeavors, the CNIC is making a comprehensive, across-the-board investment for societal benefit that integrates biomedical research into the wider society. This is fitting, since we are all stakeholders
in our health and in the health of the next generation. As we move forward, the CNIC will maintain the drive and focus established in its initial phases and ensure that the Center’s basic and clinical scientists continue to work closely
together to devise innovative projects that help reduce the sanitary and socioeconomic burden associated with CVD.
Foreword and CNIC mission
