It is fair to say the Academic Cardiovascular Unit (ACU) at The James Cook University Hospital has been very busy since it was formed in 2021.
As part of National Heart Month, Rebecca Maier, head of the ACU, looks at how the unit is going from strength to strength.
She said: “Our pioneering heart research is led from University Hospitals Tees, but we also work with other NHS hospitals, universities and teams across the UK.
“By the end of 2025 we had worked with more than 70 NHS centres and recruited more than 800 patients to our studies.
“We’ve been supporting doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to get into research and they will be the research leaders of the future.
“Additionally, we’ve spent time sharing findings from our work with others across the world.
Some of this work has recently been included in European medical guidelines. This means research led from Teesside is helping patients across the UK and Europe get the best care."
Developing new projects
The AFFECT trial looks at which type of blood thinner treatment is best for patients after they have heart surgery to repair one of their heart valves. Mitral valve repair surgery is carried out in about 3,000 patients in the UK each year.
After surgery, patients with a heart rhythm problem called atrial fibrillation need blood thinners but we don’t know which is best for patients as there are different types.
The AFFECT trial will recruit nearly 1,300 patients. Half will be given one type of blood thinner (warfarin), and half will be given another type of blood thinner (called a direct acting anti-coagulant).
More than 20 new patients every month are taking part. The trial is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and is led by consultant cardiac surgeon professor Enoch Akowuah.
Rebecca added: “Another project we are starting this year is looking at the effects that having chemotherapy for cancer can have on the heart. Chemotherapy is very good at killing cancer cells, but in some patients, it can also harm the heart.
“There is lots we need to learn about this to be able to help patients.
“We will be asking 200 patients in the region who are receiving chemotherapy at four hospitals to take part. What we learn will then help us set up a larger national project.
“The aim is to help improve heart health for patients who receive some types of chemotherapy. The study is being funded by the British Heart Foundation and is led by consultant cardiologist Dr David Austin.”
Find out more
Would you like to learn more about the ACU?
Visit the Academic Cardiovascular Unit website to find out more about the unit, the team, why heart research is important and ACU’s publications.