JoVE | Peer Reviewed Scientific Video Journal

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Large Animal Models of Cardiovascular Disease, From Training to Translation.

Guest Editors

Verónica Crisóstomo

Fundación Centro de Cirugía de Mínima Invasión Jesús Usón, and CIBERCV, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain

Dr. Verónica Crisóstomo is the Head of Cardiovascular Research at the Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre (JUMISC) in Cáceres, Spain. After graduating from  Veterinary School in the Complutense University, Madrid, she completed her PhD at the University of Extremadura. She has developed her career at JUMISC, an institution specialized in preclinical research and training, focusing her research on cardiovascular diseases and their therapy by minimally invasive and image guided procedures. Her lab is working on strategies for translational research in the prevention and treatment of cardiac remodeling, with early and repeated application of regenerative myocardial therapies in experimental animal models; as well as studies of new therapies for electrical remodeling after myocardial infarction.

Claudia Báez Díaz

Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV)

Dr. Claudia Báez Díaz is a Doctoral Researcher at the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), developing her actvities in the field of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre (JUMISC) in Cáceres, Spain. After completing her studies in veterinary medicine at the University of Extremadura, she joined the Cardiovascular Research Unit of the JUMISC first as a predoctoral research fellow and after completing her PhD, as a doctoral researcher. CIBERCV aims at reducing the impact of cardiovascular diseases by leading research, innovation and training. JUMISC, one of the 40 research institutions belonging to CIBERCV, is working in cardiovascular diseases from a translational perspective applying (among others) strategies to prevent cardiac remodelling and therapies to regenerate the damaged myocardium.

Collection Overview

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a huge major health concern worldwide, and hence a priority in biomedical research. Large animal models help researchers to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new cardiovascular procedures and devices in systems that resemble the human anatomy; additionally, they can be used to emulate scenarios for training purposes. For device development, preclinical studies in large animal models are an essential step in the translation path. This collection aims to help researchers understand and select those models best suited to achieve the aims of their research, to facilitate the humane care and management of their research animals and to promote the high ethical standards required of animal research. Such models can also be used for training, allowing medical professionals to learn and practice challenging techniques in anatomy that closely simulates human systems.

In the clinical scenario, diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases relies heavily in image guidance, and therefore in this collection we will showcase how these imaging techniques, when used in the preclinical lab, help bridge the gap from bench to bedside. The focus of this collection includes, but is not limited to, large animal (swine, sheep, etc.) models developed surgically or interventionally, as well as the use of clinical grade imaging techniques (Magnetic Resonance imaging, fluoroscopy, Ultrasonography, electromechanical mapping, etc. ) aimed to advance our understanding of CVDs and the reproducibility of experiments.