Closing Knowledge Gaps in Women’s Heart Health: Global Research Initiative
The American Heart Association, a renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to heart and brain health, is marking its centennial year by collaborating with top cardiovascular research funders worldwide to launch an international scientific research grant focusing on women’s cardiovascular health. This initiative aims to address the longstanding issue of underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular disease (CVD) research, leading to significant knowledge gaps in understanding how CVD affects women differently than men.
According to a 2022 presidential advisory from the American Heart Association, women are often excluded from critical cardiovascular research, resulting in a lack of understanding of how certain risk factors for heart disease uniquely impact women. This lack of representation has led to gaps in knowledge concerning the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CVD in women, particularly in relation to the influence of different life stages on cardiovascular health.
The Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF), a coalition of 12 major funders of cardiovascular research globally, will be awarding the grant for the International Research Challenge on Women’s Cardiovascular Health. This groundbreaking initiative will provide up to $10 million over five years to support a world-class international research program focused on addressing unmet clinical needs in women’s cardiovascular health.
Focus Areas of the Research Program
The research program will concentrate on three key areas to advance women’s cardiovascular health:
1. **Risk Factors and Prevention:** Studying the risk factors and prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease across different life stages in women.
2. **Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment:** Investigating conditions that are more prevalent or have worse outcomes among women, with a focus on improving clinical diagnosis and treatment.
3. **Sex-Specific Mechanisms:** Identifying the underlying sex-specific mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in women to develop targeted interventions.
Dr. Mariell Jessup, Chief Science and Medical Officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized the importance of addressing the significant gaps in research, diagnosis, and care for women’s cardiovascular health globally. The initiative aims to ensure equitable health for all individuals, regardless of gender, by promoting research that specifically targets the unique challenges women face in relation to cardiovascular disease.
Collaborative Research Approach
The International Research Challenge will support a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary research network comprising experts from around the world. This collaborative effort will bring together diverse perspectives and expertise to tackle the complexities of women’s cardiovascular health comprehensively. By fostering collaboration among researchers from different continents, countries, and institutions, the initiative aims to achieve impactful advancements that would not be possible through individual efforts alone.
Dr. Gina Wei, Senior Scientific Advisor on Women’s Health at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, highlighted the significance of the GCRFF’s multi-country, multi-discipline, and multi-institutional approach to supporting women’s health research. The collective effort of all 12 GCRFF members in funding a large-scale research project on women’s cardiovascular health underscores the importance of prioritizing this critical area of research and addressing the existing knowledge gaps.
Call for Proposals
The International Research Challenge invites proposals focused on advancing women’s cardiovascular health in under-researched areas or those requiring deeper understanding. Successful research programs must demonstrate a clear path to improving patient outcomes and have the potential for broader global applicability across GCRFF member countries. Letters of intent to apply for the research challenge are due by January 15, 2025, with detailed information available on the GCRFF website.
In conclusion, the Global Research Initiative on Women’s Cardiovascular Health represents a significant step towards closing the knowledge gaps in women’s heart health globally. By fostering collaborative research efforts, the initiative aims to drive meaningful advancements in understanding, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease in women. Through the collective commitment of leading cardiovascular research funders worldwide, this initiative holds promise for improving the cardiovascular health outcomes of women across different regions and demographics.
