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As we start a new year, we want to take this opportunity to update you on some important new developments with SVS research activities. First, and foremost, we want to emphasize that the SVS remains as committed as ever to supporting high quality research, both basic and clinical. This is a key part of our mission and is one of the most important characteristics of vascular surgery as a distinct profession.
To recognize the growing importance of conducting prospective patient-oriented studies that produce useful results that impact daily decision-making, the Research Council has established a Clinical Research Committee chaired by Drs. Michael Conte and Jon Matsumura. This committee oversees the Clinical Research Seed Grant program and also participates with the AVA Research and Education Committee in the review of applications for the jointly funded Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23). The Clinical Research Committee is responsible for organization of the Clinical Research Course (inaugural in 2008) and for other clinical research activities under the auspices of the Research Council.
The Research Council and the AVA Research & Education Committee have also critically re-examined the annual Research Initiatives Conference. The first Research Initiatives Conference was held in 1986 with the specific purpose of improving interaction between vascular surgeons and NIH personnel with a goal of increasing the number of federally funded vascular surgeon investigators. By many measures, this has been a phenomenally successful conference that deserves much credit for the establishment of the successful career development programs now jointly sponsored by NIH and SVS through AVA. Now that vascular surgery’s role in vascular research is better defined and other programmatic links with NIH exist, the major original objective for the Research Initiatives Conference has been met.
The Research Council also considered that recent Research Initiatives Conferences have not been well attended and there was concern that this expensive meeting was no longer meeting important needs of the SVS research community. Frequently cited reasons were the Washington DC location, lack of “critical mass” in terms of attendance by other vascular researchers, and the increasingly restricted funds to support travel by vascular surgeons to research meetings.
In seeking a solution to these concerns, discussions with The Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) of the American Heart Association (AHA) took place, exploring the possibility of linking the Research Initiatives Conference with the annual spring ATVB Conference. We are pleased to report that these conversations were successful and resulted in an agreement to combine the meetings scheduled for 2009. The Research Council is very excited about the opportunity for vascular surgeons to play a significant role at this premier meeting where attendees from around the world gather to discuss and exchange ideas regarding vascular research. More details regarding the format of this meeting will be forthcoming, but there will be ample opportunity for vascular surgeons to present their research in both oral and poster format at this forum.
So, what about the SVS research activities for 2008? First, the 2008 Research Initiatives Conference will have a distinct clinical focus in order to kick start the activities of the newly constituted Clinical Research Committee. This year’s meeting is entitled: Clinical Trials in Vascular Disease: Getting Answers That Matter. This conference will review important clinical trials related to infrainguinal occlusive and carotid artery disease and attempt to develop consensus on future clinical trial design. This meeting should be highly relevant to any vascular surgeon treating peripheral arterial or carotid disease and you are strongly encouraged to attend. In the future this meeting may be combined with the newly developed Clinical Research Course in order to provide a high quality comprehensive meeting focused on clinical research. Research Initiatives Conference program and registration information is available at
http://www.vascularweb.org/professionals/Research_Initiatives_Conference/index.html.
Research abstracts submitted this year will be considered for oral or poster presentation at the Vascular Annual Meeting in San Diego on Saturday, June 7, 2008. Accepted abstracts will be selected for either a formal podium presentation or a moderated poster session conducted during a reception sponsored by the AVA.
We are confident that these changes in the SVS research activities will make them more valuable to the membership and ask that you support them to the greatest extent possible. If you have comments or other suggestions, please forward them to a member of the Research Council.
Sincerely yours,
K. Wayne Johnston, MD, President
Richard J. Powell, MD, Research Council Chair
Michael S. Conte, MD, Clinical Research Committee Co-Chair
Jon S. Matsumura, MD, Clinical Research Committee Co-Chair
Larry W. Kraiss, MD, AVA Research & Education Committee Chair
Society for Vascular Surgery - 633 N. St. Clair, 24th Floor; Chicago, IL 60611; Phone: 312-334-2300 or 800-258-7188; Fax: 312-334-2320; Email: vascular@vascularsociety.org
© 2009 VascularWeb. All rights reserved. Use of the VascularWeb site constitutes acceptance of all of the policies, rules and regulations for the site.
© 2009 VascularWeb. All rights reserved. Use of the VascularWeb site constitutes acceptance of all of the policies, rules and regulations for the site.