International Clinical Research Center
Encyclopedia
International Clinical Research Center Brno (ICRC) is a conceptually novel project in biomedical research and clinical patient care which is being developed by the Czech Republic
and the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minnesota
. The goal of ICRC consists of creating a research platform to allow cutting edge clinical research being conducted in the central Europe, particularly in Brno
, Czech Republic
.
Department of St. Anne’s Hospital in Brno
, Czech Republic
, and their counterparts at the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic
, Rochester, Minnesota
. Particularly the stay of MUDr. Tomas Kara, Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Virend Somers at the Mayo clinic in early 2000 established the high yield of such cooperation, and led to the origins of the idea that a new and globally competitive scientific facility would be needed in Brno
, Czech Republic
, to support the increasing depth and complexity of research projects being conducted by Mayo and St. Anne’s Hospital. The team led by Dr. Kara ultimately recommended building of a new state-of-the-art facility (ICRC) in the heart of the St. Anne’s Hospital in Brno
, Czech Republic
which would be sufficiently equipped to support an ongoing global cooperation with the world-wide leader in translational biomedical research, the Mayo Clinic
.
, Czech Republic
with the presence of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the Ambassador of the United States to the Czech Republic , the leadership of the ICRC project, and the local government and community leaders from the South Moravia region.
, the Circulation Journal
, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
, the Chest journal
, the American Journal of Cardiology
, and many others. During the 10 years of this Czech-American cooperation more than 30 Czech physicians, bioengineers and other researchers had a chance to visit and work at the Mayo Clinic
in Minnesota, and the leading clinical researchers from the Mayo Clinic visited Brno
, Czech Republic on a countless number of occasions. The most recent efforts in cardiovascular research are conducted by a broad team of Czech and American researchers, including Dr. Tomas Kara, Dr. Virend Somers, Dr. Samuel Asirvatham, Dr. Alexander Schirger, Dr. John Schirger, Dr. Tom Konecny, Dr. Marek Orban, Ing. Pavel Leinveber, and Ing. Jan Bukartyk. The latest results from the ICRC collaboration are regularly being presented at the most significant international meetings, including the American Heart Association
Scientific Sessions (2009), American College of Cardiology
Scientific Sessions (2009, 2010), Czech Society of Cardiology Scientific Meeting (2010), American College of Physicians
Chapter Meeting (2008, 2009), and others.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
in Rochester, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The goal of ICRC consists of creating a research platform to allow cutting edge clinical research being conducted in the central Europe, particularly in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Origins of the ICRC Project
At the beginning of the ICRC concept was a close and fruitful collaboration between physicians and researchers in the CardiologyCardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
Department of St. Anne’s Hospital in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and their counterparts at the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
, Rochester, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Particularly the stay of MUDr. Tomas Kara, Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Virend Somers at the Mayo clinic in early 2000 established the high yield of such cooperation, and led to the origins of the idea that a new and globally competitive scientific facility would be needed in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, to support the increasing depth and complexity of research projects being conducted by Mayo and St. Anne’s Hospital. The team led by Dr. Kara ultimately recommended building of a new state-of-the-art facility (ICRC) in the heart of the St. Anne’s Hospital in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
which would be sufficiently equipped to support an ongoing global cooperation with the world-wide leader in translational biomedical research, the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
.
Building of ICRC Brno
The ICRC project was supported by both the Mayo Clinic, and by the government of the Czech Republic in a Memorandum of Understanding, and this ultimately led to the beginning of construction of the ICRC scientific facility. The foundation stone was laid on October 7, 2008 in BrnoBrno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
with the presence of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the Ambassador of the United States to the Czech Republic , the leadership of the ICRC project, and the local government and community leaders from the South Moravia region.
Results of the ICRC Collaboration
The scientific collaboration on the ICRC platform resulted in multitude of publications in the world’s best medical journals, including the New England Journal of MedicineNew England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It describes itself as the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world.-History:...
, the Circulation Journal
Circulation (journal)
Circulation is a scientific journal published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins for the American Heart Association. The journal publishes articles related to research in and the practice of cardiovascular diseases, including observational studies, clinical trials, epidemiology, health services and...
, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is a peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of cardiovascular disease, including original clinical studies, experimental investigations with clear clinical relevance, state-of-the-art papers, viewpoints, and editorials and essays...
, the Chest journal
Chest (journal)
Chest is a scientific medical journal published by the American College of Chest Physicians on the subject of chest diseases and related issues . The 2008impact factor is 5.154. The journal has a circulation of some 21,000 copies. Editor in chief is Richard S. Irwin....
, the American Journal of Cardiology
American Journal of Cardiology
The American Journal of Cardiology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of cardiology and general cardiovascular disease. It is independent from the American College of Cardiology....
, and many others. During the 10 years of this Czech-American cooperation more than 30 Czech physicians, bioengineers and other researchers had a chance to visit and work at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
in Minnesota, and the leading clinical researchers from the Mayo Clinic visited Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic on a countless number of occasions. The most recent efforts in cardiovascular research are conducted by a broad team of Czech and American researchers, including Dr. Tomas Kara, Dr. Virend Somers, Dr. Samuel Asirvatham, Dr. Alexander Schirger, Dr. John Schirger, Dr. Tom Konecny, Dr. Marek Orban, Ing. Pavel Leinveber, and Ing. Jan Bukartyk. The latest results from the ICRC collaboration are regularly being presented at the most significant international meetings, including the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
Scientific Sessions (2009), American College of Cardiology
American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology is a nonprofit medical association established in 1949 to advocate for quality cardiovascular care through education, research promotion, development and application of standards and guidelines, and to influence health care policy...
Scientific Sessions (2009, 2010), Czech Society of Cardiology Scientific Meeting (2010), American College of Physicians
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
Chapter Meeting (2008, 2009), and others.