Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases

We conduct pioneering research in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, focusing on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, early detection, risk stratification and improving treatment and clinical care.

Deeply embedded in frontline healthcare services, our unique interdisciplinary capabilities span clinical registries, clinical trials, diagnostics, big data analytics, behavioural and implementation science and population health.

Our focus areas

Research units

Centre of Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics

Our clinical and applied research projects, along with our clinical registries, support good cardiac health in the community, improve responses to cardiac emergencies, and optimise surgical and pharmaceutical treatments for heart conditions.

Co-Directors

Professor Chris Reid
Professor Dion Stub

Diabetes Research

We conduct large investigator-led studies that break new ground in the best practice clinical care of diabetes and its complications, spanning biological, physiological and psychological aspects of diabetes prevention, screening, diagnosis and management.

Head of Unit

Professor Sophia Zoungas

Pre-hospital, Emergency and Trauma Research

We undertake significant research to better understand and enhance community and emergency service responses to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and stroke, to boost survival rates and improve recovery.

Head of Unit

Professor Belinda Gabbe

Pharmacoepidemiology

We evaluate medicine effectiveness, safety and adherence in cardiometabolic populations using large-scale real‑world data, examining polypharmacy, diabetes monitoring and cardiovascular risk to generate evidence that informs prevention, therapeutic optimisation and improved patient outcomes.

Head of Research Group

Dr Stella Talic

Public Health Genomics

We explore the role of genetic information in public and population health, including research around the role of population screening programs to reduce the risks of familial hypercholesterolaemia and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Head of Unit

Professor Paul Lacaze

Centres and major initiatives

Australian Living Evidence Collaboration (ALEC)

A world-first initiative that brings together leading experts in evidence synthesis, guideline development and digital technologies to build a next generation system for delivering reliable, accessible, up-to-date evidence in health.

DNA Screen

A landmark trial to demonstrate consumer acceptability, efficacy, and cost-efficiency of population-based genomic screening as a tool to reduce the incidence of heritable, modifiable conditions.

NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in optimising the emergency response to save lives (Aus-ROC CRE)

Every year, over 31,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in Australia and New Zealand, and less than 7% of patients survive. Aus-ROC CRE is bringing cutting-edge technologies and resuscitation science together to double survival rates.

STAtins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE)

The ADCQR provides a unique national picture of the management of diabetes in Australia, providing real world data that guides strategy to evaluate and improve the safety and quality of care across the country.