George Clinical’s scientific leadership is primarily focused on developing new strategies for the prevention of heart diseases by targeting their primary risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, through drug and device interventions.
George Clinical has the breadth of expertise and clinical networks to make what is traditionally one of the most complex and time consuming therapeutic areas to conduct clinical trials, one of the most streamlined.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world. It accounts for more than 17 million deaths a year and that figure is rising. George Clinical’s scientific leadership is primarily focused on developing new strategies for the prevention of heart diseases by targeting their primary risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, through drug and device interventions.
The depth of George Clinical’s therapeutic expertise places us as global experts in designing and implementing studies measuring cardiovascular co-morbidities and outcomes to the highest scientific standard.
George Clinical’s scientific leadership have an impressive track record providing evidence to effect real change in practice and policy so that our research translates into clinical practice and government policy.
Our clinical trial services in cardiovascular health include:
George Clinical’s expertise and capacity to engage with significant investigator networks, place us as one of the leading cardiovascular contract research organizations operating in this therapeutic area.
Dr. Kosiborod’s research has a strong focus on the intersection of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. He is Vice President of Research at Saint Luke’s Health System; Director of Cardiometabolic Research and Co-Director of the Haverty Cardiometabolic Center of Excellence at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute; and Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is an internationally recognized expert in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, cardiometabolic and cardiorenal syndromes, as well as quality of care and outcomes. He received training in clinical research, epidemiology and health policy through the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, as well as clinical training in cardiovascular medicine at Yale University School of Medicine.
As a practicing clinician and researcher, Dr. Kosiborod seeks to establish a practical system of implementing adoption of new treatments that have been proven to be life saving into practice in a more timely manner. He continues to be involved in the leadership of numerous clinical trials and multi-center registries, and serve as the Principal Investigator of investigator-initiated, multi-center trials in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, most recently of SGLT2 inhibition.
Dr.Neal’s research interests include the environmental determinants of chronic disease and the potential for changes in the food supply to deliver large, cost-effective and equitable health gains. He was a founding member and currently serves as Executive Director, The George Institute for Global Health. He also serves as Professor of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Imperial College London. He has expertise in the management of high blood pressure and diabetes and has played lead roles in multiple large-scale clinical trials. His work has been characterized by its focus on collaboration, quantitation, translation and impact.
Dr. Neal holds additional professorial appointments at Flinders University in South Australia, an honorary appointment at the University of Sydney and chairs the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health. He was identified by Thomson Reuters as one of ‘The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds’, an acknowledgement provided to just 3000 researchers across all disciplines, worldwide. He has particular expertise in salt reduction but also a broader knowledge of food policy issues related to sugars, fats, portion size and food labelling. Dr. Neal has played lead roles in multiple large-scale clinical trials, most recently of SGLT2 inhibition.
Professor Schutte’s research focuses on the early detection, prevention and treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in low resource settings. She has led several multidisciplinary projects in this field, including biomarker discovery, early vascular aging and polyomics. Serves as Principal Theme Lead of Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health. She is involved in numerous international consortia, such as the Global Burden of Disease study, the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, May Measurement Month initiative of the International Society of Hypertension and IDACO/IDCARS studies.
Professor Shutte has extensive experience in working in hypertension and cardiovascular disease within Africa, but also as part of global projects. In her previous role as the South African Research Chair in the Early Detection and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Africa, hosted by the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University and as Unit Director of Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, her research focus was to identify early markers for the development of hypertension, and ultimately prevent cardiovascular disease in the black African population.
Professor Rodgers’ principal focus is on cardiovascular disease prevention, innovation and public-private partnerships, and in scaleable interventions to address major health risks. He is Professor of Global Health at The George Institute for Global Health and Chair of Clinical Epidemiology, Imperial College London. He was the principal author of the 2002 World Health Report, the main annual publication for WHO.
Since 2003 Professor Rodgers has led a public-private partnership developing an affordable four-in-one cardiovascular combination pill (‘polypill’), with a clinical trial program in economically developed and developing countries, funded by the Wellcome Trust, European Union and others. His current work aims to foster similar developments designed to be ‘fit for purpose’ in low income settings.
Dr. Huffman’s research focus is acute cardiovascular quality improvement, simplifying pharmacotherapy through fixed-dose combinations, programmatic implementation and evaluation for large-scale hypertension control, monitoring and improving the US and global food and medicine supplies, and achieving tobacco endgame. He is Director, Institute for Global Health – Center for Global Cardiovascular Health; Quentin D. Young Professor of Health Policy and Associate Professor at the Food Policy Division of The George Institute for Global Health; and Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology) and Medicine (Cardiology) at Northwestern University.
Recognized as one of the brightest minds in both cardiovascular and food policy research worldwide, Dr. Huffman aims to improve global food and medicine supply and achieve tobacco endgame with a special focus on underserved populations. In 2019, Huffman was named an Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar by the National Academy of Medicine. He is a practicing cardiologist, researcher and teacher interested in global cardiovascular health epidemiology, clinical trials, implementation science, health systems and policy research and training. He has also served as Member, American Heart Association Institute for Precision Cardiovascular Medicine Task Force and as an expert reviewer for the Global Burden of Disease project.
Dr. Sundström’s research focuses on causes and consequences of hypertension. He is Professor of Epidemiology at Uppsala University; Conjoint Professor at The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales; and a clinical specialist in the internal medicine and cardiology at Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University Hospital. He also heads the university’s Clinical Epidemiology research group.
Dr. Sundström is interested in using big data to create value for patients and populations and developing methods for risk estimation, treatment decisions and evaluation of treatment effects, risks and costs. In addition to creating data sources such as clinical trials and cohorts, he develops methods for emerging ones such as electronic health records and digital patient-generated data. He has made important contributions to the understanding of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, with a focus on high blood pressure, and his work is cited in several international cardiovascular prevention and hypertension guidelines. At the George Institute for Global Health at Sydney University, he initiated a series of studies in the Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration investigating optimal targeting of blood pressure-lowering treatment. He is currently contributing with unique research of the potential for “precision medicine”in cardiovascular disease.
Professor Chalmers’ research interests include large scale clinical trials and epidemiological studies related to hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke, and diabetes and renal disease. He is Senior Director, Professorial Unit, The George Institute for Global Health and Professor of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, as well as Emeritus Professor of Medicine at Flinders University and at the University of Sydney.
At the George Institute, he serves as Principal Investigator on research grants and chair of steering committees for major studies.
Professor Chalmers’ studies on the treatment of high blood pressure for the prevention of heart attack and stroke have changed the way patients are treated throughout the world. They helped elucidate the brain mechanisms and neurotransmitters responsible for blood pressure control, and also demonstrated the benefits to stroke and Type II diabetes patients of lowering their blood pressure – whether it is considered clinically “high” or not. His contribution to medical science has been recognized through many awards, Honorary Doctoral degrees and extensive appointments on national and international boards and advisory committees. He was appointed a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) in 1991 and an Officer in the National Order of Merit of France in 2010.
