Networking Tools
The following Network Activities will be used in our EU-CARDIOPROTECTION COST Action to deliver the main research objectives of our 4 WGs:
WG Meetings: Bi-annual WG Meetings will allow the COST partners and other to disseminate and share knowledge relevant to the objective of the 4 different but closely inter-related WGs. Invited speakers and chairs will be considered in respect to gender balance and geographical distribution. ECIs will be encouraged to chair sessions and present at the WG Meetings. We will invite leading international experts in preclinical and clinical cardioprotection to attend the meeting and provide expert input and advice to the relevant WGs. We will also invite international researchers who have expertise in setting up a similar cardioprotection research consortium in the U.S. – the NIH CAESAR Network, to provide advice on the setting up of our ECC in WG4. Our first WG Meeting took place in October 2017 in Brussels at the COST Headquarters, and outlined the main objectives and activities of our EU-CARDIOPROTECTION Cost Actions. Our next WG meeting, which will be held in the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, March 2018 (local organisers, Bruno Podesser and Mariann Gyöngyösi), will begin the implementation of strategies to achieve the WG objectives of the COST Action.
Training schools: In order to support the training and development of early career investigators (ECIs), training schools will be organized on a variety of topics relevant to cardioprotection research including: (1) Novel methods for discovering novel targets for cardioprotection and innovative cardioprotective strategies such as multi-omics approaches; (2) The use of combination therapies as a multi-targeted approach to cardioprotection; (3) Clinically relevant animal AMI/HF based on co-morbidities (age, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia) and take into account rele3vant co-medications (statins, nitrates, anesthetics, anti-platelet agents); and (4) Guidelines for undertaking multicenter experimental studies and proof-of-concept clinical studies.
Short-term Scientific Missions (STSMs): In order to achieve long-lasting effects of this COST Action, ECIs will be supported in their networking activities by STSMs (duration of one week to 3 months and supported by a fixed grant from the COST Action). These will allow ECIs to learn new research techniques and gain valuable knowledge and experience from an institution or laboratory in another COST country. Increasing collaboration is important to make Europe more competitive. Exchanging ideas and knowledge across borders will lead to more successful projects. So far our EU-CARDIOPROTECTION COST Action has initiated 4 STSMs involving COST Member Countries and International Partner Countries (UK-Singapore, Greece-Germany, Slovakia-Hungary, Romania-Austria). We intend to initiate a further 8 STSMs each year for the duration of the COST Action.
Dissemination activities: A website providing access to the generated knowledge and annual newsletters, with mutual links to websites relevant for this COST Action has been set-up www.cardioprotection.eu. Scientific publications disseminating knowledge of the WG will be published as original articles, reviews and Position Papers in conjunction with other Cardiovascular Organizations and Societies. Our COST Action will also sponsor joint scientific sessions at other European and International Cardiovascular meetings including the International Society of Heart Research-European Section (ISHR-ES) meetings and ESC Working Group of Cell Biology of the heart.
Conference Grants: This will enable PhD students and ECIs from participating Inclusiveness Target Countries to attend international cardiovascular conferences that are not organized by our COST Action.