RESEARCH IMPACT: 32 YEARS OF UNDERSTANDING, DIAGNOSING, TREATING & PREVENTING THE ONSET OF HEART DISEASE

With
Professor Jason Kovacic
CEO & Institute Director,
Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute &
Practicing Clinical Cardiologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney Australia &
Professor of Medicine
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States

RESEARCH IMPACT
Filmed in Sydney, Australia | October 2026

The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute is dedicated to finding cures for cardiovascular disease through world-class and cutting-edge medical research.

The Institute’s team seeks to discover better ways of understanding, diagnosing, treating, and preventing the onset of heart disease. It is committed to ensuring its research breakthroughs are rapidly translated into advances in clinical care.

The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute was founded in 1994 in honour of the legendary heart transplant surgeon Dr Victor Chang AC. In 1996, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, officially opened the institute in Sydney, Australia.

Beginning with just two scientists, it has more than 250 scientists, doctors, and staff working together across 26 laboratories nationwide. It is renowned for the quality of its scientific discoveries worldwide.

In 2022, the Institute expanded its national footprint by establishing a new heart disease research hub in partnership with The University of Western Australia and in 2025 announced a new collaboration with the Perth-based Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. It has also established hubs in South Western Sydney and Melbourne. This is allowing researchers and scientists to accelerate life-saving discoveries that benefit all Australians and deliver international impact.

The Institute is also a proud partner of the St Vincent’s Sydney Health Innovation Precinct – comprised of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney and St Vincent’s Clinic.

In this interview on the impact of research undertaken by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Professor Jason Kovacic talks about the following studies:

• Funnel web spider venom to develop world’s first cardiac protective drug for heart transplants and heart attacks https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054360 
• Discovery and role of PHACTR1 gene in vascular diseases including spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.09.085 
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict disease progression & better outcomes of aortic stenosis https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1153814 

Source: Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute website