Throughout its history, members of the Cardiovascular Division have made important contributions to our understanding of heart and vascular diseases. Faculty members from the Division have provided groundbreaking research in the area of thrombolytics for acute myocardial infarction, biomarkers for cardiac injury, and cardiac imaging.

There are three major research centers within the cardiovascular division:

  • The Center for Cardiovascular Research (CCR) at Washington University School of Medicine promotes fundamental research focused on biologic processes relevant to cardiovascular disease, and provides a unique, horizontally structured research environment for scientists with distinct backgrounds but a common interest in diseases of the heart and vasculature.
  • The Consortium for Translational Research in Advanced Imaging and Nanomedicine (C-TRAIN) facilitates interdisciplinary, collaborative basic and clinical research in imaged-based diagnostics and novel biocompatible nanotechnologies for targeted delivery of genes and drugs.
  • The Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center (DCDC) seeks to develop and deploy new knowledge and technology related to the improvement of human health related to cardiovascular disease through discovery and validation of biomarkers, as well as by an enhanced understanding of the molecular basis of diabetic cardiovascular disease.

Clinical Research activities within the Division are supported by the Cardiovascular Imaging & Clinical Research Core Lab and the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences. There are a number of Research Centers and Research Cores that support a wide variety of cardiovascular research programs, both within and outside of the Cardiovascular Division.