About the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences

The Institute is home to the journal Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, and the official bulletin, CV Network.

Additionally, the Institute has a close partnership with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Cardiac Sciences Program, which includes Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Anesthesia, Cardiac Critical Care and Cardiac Rehabilitation, the majority of which is based at St-Boniface Hospital – further evidence of our commitment to translate discoveries into advanced technologies, new treatments and patient care.

The ICS is widely considered one of the premier cardiovascular research teams in North America and continues its efforts to promote cardiovascular education at the local, national and international levels.

Founded as the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences in 1987 by world-renowned cardiac researcher Dr. Naranjan Dhalla, the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences is currently comprised of 15 investigators with faculty appointments in different departments of the University of Manitoba and has a full time dedicated research staff of more than 100 people. The Institute is very active in fostering research collaborations locally, nationally and internationally. The base appointments, as well as research collaborations by the members of the Institute span several university departments including; Physiology and Pathophysiology, Internal Medicine, Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Kinesiology and Recreation Management and Human and Nutritional Sciences. Several members have active collaborations with the Cardiac Sciences Program of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (located on the St-Boniface Campus). the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) and Ben Gurion University Beer Sheva (Israel). The Institute is recognized as a leading cardiovascular research centre with prominence in the national and international scene.

• The mission of the Institute is to develop and maintain a centre of excellence in research and training in cardiovascular sciences in Winnipeg. The principal objectives are to:
• Develop multidisciplinary research programs to understand the pathophysiology and therapy of cardiovascular diseases
• Provide state-of-the-art education and training to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists
• Encourage research collaborations between basic and clinical cardiovascular scientists
• Promote the formation of national and international networks for collaboration in cardiovascular research
• Promote partnership with governmental, private and corporate sectors for cardiovascular research
• Serve as a valuable source of information for community cardiologists cardiovascular surgeons, anesthesiologists and cardiac rehabilitation specialists as well as the local community over time, the Institute has developed a superb training program comprised of bench research, coursework (availability of several graduate-level courses introduced and taught by members of the Institute), participation by students in conferences, and an active seminar program and journal club program. We encourage our trainees (postdoctoral fellows, graduate students) to participate in national and international conferences. The Institute provides small travel grants to trainees to facilitate their participation and networking at scientific meetings.

  The editorial offices of the international journal Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry are housed within the Institute. The Head Office of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, with subsections all over the world, is also located within the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. Our faculty are highly engaged in local community events and stay connected through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, YouTube, Instagram, and print media. Our Public Outreach Program provides valuable exposure to the local community on the latest breakthroughs in heart disease research as well as to programs for high school students on various heart health issues. The Institute’s Cardiovascular Awards Day Program includes twelve different endowed awards to recognize and honour the achievements of leaders in the field of cardiovascular research and medicine.