Heart disease is the leading killer in the United States.  It is a silent, insidious disease that can begin in early youth and develop throughout adult life, manifesting itself and striking with little warning.  The disease process that leads to sometimes fatal or life-threatening outcomes represent a complex interaction of multiple factors associated with lifestyle, environment, and genetics. 

To improve the understanding and management of the multi-factorial pathology of the disease, the Center provides mechanisms for enhancing interdepartmental and interdisciplinary research, as well as coordinated clinical studies of the disease.  Its ongoing efforts include the identification of clinical problems to be addressed in the laboratory, while key findings at the lab bench are ultimately translated to the bedside.