CALIFORNIA HEART CENTER FOUNDATION

THE MISSION OF THE CALIFORNIA HEART CENTER FOUNDATION IS TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE THROUGH CLINICAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES. EFFORTS INCLUDE THE PURSUIT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS WHICH PROMOTE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE PROGRESSION AND TEST THE EFFICACY OF NEW STRATEGIES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. AREAS OF RESEARCH CURRENTLY BEING PURSUED INCLUDE NON-INVASIVE METHODS TO DETECT ORGAN REJECTION, NOVEL IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AGENTS, IMMUNE MONITORING STRATEGIES, LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS CARDIAC ALLOGRAFT VASCULOPATHY, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(CONTINUATION FROM FORM 990, PAGE 2)NOVEL METHODS FOR ORGAN PROCUREMENT AND PRESERVATION, NEW MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT DEVICES AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SUPPORTS IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIA, WHICH ALLOW FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AMONG LEADERS IN THE FIELD AND PROVIDE A FORUM FOR EXPERTS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHER PRACTITIONERS. THE ORGANIZATION RESOURCES ARE ALSO LEVERAGED TO SUPPORT A SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN MEDICINE AND/OR ACADEMIC RESEARCH. FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN 2024: SCIENTIFIC FORUMS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:* "SUCCESS WITH FAILURE: AN ADVANCED HEART DISEASE SYMPOSIUM" FEBRUARY 9TH, 2024 (CULVER CITY)THIS 1-DAY SYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCED HEART DISEASE TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH, 2024 AT THE HILTON CULVER CITY. THE SYMPOSIUM PROVIDED AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF DIAGNOSTICS, THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS AND NOVEL TREATMENTS IN ADVANCED HEART FAILURE, MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT AND TRANSPLANTATION. THE PROGRAM DREW 176 ATTENDEES CONSISTING OF PHYSICIANS, ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING NURSE PRACTITIONERS, TRANSPLANT COORDINATORS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, RNS AND CASE MANAGERS FROM ACROSS CALIFORNIA.* "AST FORUM: FELLOWSHIP TASK FORCE" FEBRUARY 24TH, 2024 (ARIZONA)SPONSORED AND HOSTED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANTATION, THE AST FELLOWSHIP TASK FORCE FORUM WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE CULTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINEES. TO INCLUDE KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN ALL SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION (HEART, LUNG, LIVER, KIDNEY), THE MEETING FACILITATED A REVIEW OF FACTORS IMPACTING TRAINEES AND IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL INTERVENTIONS TO FURTHER PROMOTE THE FIELD. THE HOPE IS THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL BE A FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING A "TOOL KIT" TO ADDRESS BARRIERS AND CONCERNS THAT MAY INHIBIT THE PURSUIT OF SPECIALIZATION IN TRANSPLANTATION THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED BY INDIVIDUALS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ALLIED TRANSPLANT COMMUNITY GROUPS. (PUBLICATION OF MEETING REPORT PENDING.)* "CONSENSUS CONFERENCE: PRIMARY GRAFT DYSFUNCTION" APRIL 9TH, 2024 (PRAGUE)SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION AND THE CALIFORNIA HEART CENTER/CEDARS-SINAI HEART INSTITUTE, THE 2024 CONSENSUS CONFERENCE ON PRIMARY GRAFT DYSFUNCTION WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AMONG THE LEADING EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, WITH A VIEW TO EVALUATING EVOLVING SCIENCE IN THIS AREA, AS PART OF AN UPDATE TO THE 2013 ISHLT CONSENSUS CONFERENCE ON PGD. THE HOPE IS THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE A FORUM TO PROVIDE FURTHER GUIDANCE ON THE EFFICACY OF TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PRIMARY GRAFT DYSFUNCTION, THE UTILITY OF RISK STRATIFICATION FOR PGD USING VARIOUS METHODOLOGIES, AND THE POTENTIAL OF REDUCING THE RISK OF PGD WITH THE ADVENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR PROCUREMENT AND PRESERVATION OF DONOR HEARTS. (PUBLICATION OF CONSENSUS REPORT PENDING.)* "THOMAS D. GORDON VISITING PROFESSOR IN ADVANCED HEART DISEASE" OCTOBER 14TH-15TH, 2024. THIS ANNUAL VISITING PROFESSORSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO BE SPONSORED AND ORGANIZED BY DR. KOBASHIGAWA. THIS YEAR THE ORGANIZATION HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING DR. ANDREAS ZUCKERMANN, INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEON AND DIRECTOR OF CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION AT MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA. THIS VISIT, HELD OCTOBER 14TH-15TH, 2024 INCLUDED A GRAND ROUNDS LECTURE, ONE TO ONE FACULTY MEETINGS AND A FELLOWS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION. DR. ZUCKERMANN'S LECTURE ON "EX VIVO PERFUSION" WAS EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED.* SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS: UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND MENTORSHIP OF DR. JON KOBASHIGAWA, SUMMER HEART TRANSPLANT RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO STUDENTS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2024. THESE INTERNSHIPS PROVIDE STUDENTS AT ALL LEVELS OF TRAINING AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THE CLINICAL RESEARCH PROCESS, INCLUDING MEDICAL LITERATURE REVIEW, STUDY DESIGN, CHART REVIEW/DATA COLLECTION, DATA ANALYSIS, AND ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION. COMPLETED ABSTRACTS WERE SUBMITTED TO THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, A FORUM FOR JUNIOR INVESTIGATORS. THIS YEAR'S GROUP INCLUDES STUDENTS FROM:OHIO STATE UNIVERSITYPURDUE UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKLEYUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINEUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELESUNIVERSITY OF COLORADOUNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA* HEART TRANSPLANT JOURNAL CLUBSJOURNAL CLUBS CONTINUE TO BE HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT AND HAVE MAINTAINED STRONG PARTICIPATION, WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF 25 PEOPLE AT EACH SESSION. THE FOLLOWING SESSION(S) HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OR SCHEDULED: MARCH 14TH, 2024 - 4:00PM - 5:00PM "DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A RISK SCORE PREDICTING DEATH WITHOUT TRANSPLANT IN ADULT HEART TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES" PRESENTER: DR. ISABEL BALACHANDRAN CLINICAL RESEARCH:THIS SECTION IS FORMATTED BY CATEGORY; STUDY NAME; PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI).