California Heart Center Foundation

PROMOTE & DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL & SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE.

THE MISSION OF THE CALIFORNIA HEART CENTER FOUNDATION IS TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE THROUGH CLINICAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES. OUR EFFORTS INCLUDE THE PURSUIT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS WHICH PROMOTE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE PROGRESSION AND TEST THE EFFICACY OF NEW STRATEGIES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. AREAS OF RESEARCH CURRENTLY BEING PURSUED INCLUDE NON-INVASIVE METHODS TO DETECT ORGAN REJECTION, NOVEL IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AGENTS, IMMUNE MONITORING STRATEGIES, LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS CARDIAC ALLOGRAFT VASCULOPATHY, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(CONTINUATION FROM FORM 990, PAGE 2)NOVEL METHODS FOR ORGAN PROCUREMENT AND PRESERVATION, NEW MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT DEVICES AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SUPPORTS IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIA, WHICH ALLOW FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AMONG LEADERS IN THE FIELD AND PROVIDE A FORUM FOR EXPERTS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHER PRACTITIONERS. THE ORGANIZATION RESOURCES ARE ALSO LEVERAGED TO SUPPORT A SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN MEDICINE AND/OR ACADEMIC RESEARCH. FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN 2021: SCIENTIFIC FORUMS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:* "CUTTING EDGE OF TRANSPLANTATION (CEOT)" FEBRUARY 25-27, 2021 (VIRTUAL)THIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANTATION, WITH CONTENT DEVELOPED WITH A THEMATIC FOCUS ON "INNOVATIONS IN MODERN IMMUNOSUPPRESSION." SESSIONS FOCUSED ON HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION WERE DESIGNED, ORGANIZED AND CHAIRED BY DR. KOBASHIGAWA. DUE TO COVID-19, THE MEETING WAS CONVERTED TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM. HOWEVER, ATTENDANCE REMAINED STRONG WITH MORE THAN 1/3 OF PARTICIPANTS FROM THE THORACIC COMMUNITY. FEEDBACK FOR THE HEART AND LUNG SESSIONS WAS HIGHLY POSITIVE. * SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS: UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND MENTORSHIP OF DR. JON KOBASHIGAWA, SUMMER HEART TRANSPLANT RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO STUDENTS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2021. THESE INTERNSHIPS PROVIDE STUDENTS AT ALL LEVELS OF TRAINING AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE CLINICAL RESEARCH PROCESS, INCLUDING MEDICAL LITERATURE REVIEW, STUDY DESIGN, CHART REVIEW/DATA COLLECTION, DATA ANALYSIS, AND ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION. COMPLETED ABSTRACTS WERE SUBMITTED TO THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, A FORUM FOR JUNIOR INVESTIGATORS. THIS YEAR'S GROUP INCLUDES STUDENTS FROM:FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELESUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARASANTA CLARA UNIVERSITYVASSAR COLLEGE WESTERN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL* HEART TRANSPLANT JOURNAL CLUBSJOURNAL CLUBS CONTINUE TO BE HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT AND HAVE MAINTAINED STRONG PARTICIPATION, WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF 25 PEOPLE AT EACH SESSION. THE FOLLOWING SESSION(S) HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OR SCHEDULED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2021 - 5:00PM - 6:00PM "HEART-AFTER-LIVER TRANSPLANTATION ATTENUATES REJECTION OF CARDIAC ALLOGRAFTS IN SENSITIZED PATIENTS" PRESENTER: DR. ANDREW CHENG WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2021 - 5:00PM - 6:00PM "THIRD DOSE OF THE BNT162B2 VACCINE IN HEART TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS: IMMUNOGENICITY AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCE" PRESENTER: DR. AZRA BHIMANI* "THOMAS D. GORDON VISITING PROFESSOR IN ADVANCED HEART DISEASE" (VIRTUAL)THIS ANNUAL VISITING PROFESSORSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO BE SPONSORED AND ORGANIZED BY DR. KOBASHIGAWA. THIS YEAR WE HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING DR. BARTLEY GRIFFITH, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. THIS VIRTUAL VISIT, HELD ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021, INCLUDED A GRAND ROUNDS LECTURE, ONE TO ONE FACULTY MEETINGS AND A FELLOWS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION. DR. GRIFFITH'S LECTURE ON "CURRENT PROGRESS FOR XENOTRANSPLANT OF THE HEART: WILL IT BE A CLINICAL REALITY SOON?" WAS ESPECIALLY TIMELY, AS DR. GRIFFITH COMPLETED THE FIRST HUMAN XENOTRANSPLANT SURGERY IN JANUARY OF 2022, BREAKING EXCITING NEW GROUND IN THE FIELD.* "HEART FAILURE POTPOURRI" BY DR. MICHELLE KITTLESON, OCTOBER 15TH, 2021THIS VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATION BY DR. KITTLESON WAS HELD AT THE REQUEST OF RESEARCH STAFF, TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF COMMON PROCEDURES, TREATMENTS, SECONDARY DIAGNOSES, AND OTHER COMPLEXITIES OF HEART FAILURE AS THEY APPROACH RESEARCH PROTOCOLS. THE INTIMATE SETTING PROVIDED THE TEAM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A ROBUST Q&A SESSION AND DISCUSSION WITH DR. KITTLESON. CLINICAL RESEARCH:THIS SECTION IS FORMATTED BY CATEGORY; STUDY NAME; PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI).