Newswise — TORONTO, September 6, 2017 – The Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research today announces that Dr. Raymond Kim is its newest scientific lead, guiding efforts at the country’s only clinic devoted to cardiac genomics.
The Ted Rogers Centre Cardiac Genome Clinic is Canada’s first such program to investigate the genetic causes of heart failure in both children and adults. At one of the world’s only cardiac genome clinics, researchers use whole genome sequencing to help identify the cause, formulate appropriate treatment options and optimize the management of patients and family members.
“Genomics is a major part of our mission to better understand the nature of heart failure in order to develop novel treatments and preventative strategies,” said Dr. Mansoor Husain, executive director of the Ted Rogers Centre. “We are excited to have Raymond on board to build a unique program that is set up to have a very positive impact on heart failure care across the lifespan.”
Dr. Kim, one of a handful of dual-trained internal medicine and medical genetics specialists in Toronto, is a rising star in medical genetics. He holds appointments at the Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics at SickKids, at the Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine that is jointly run by UHN and Mount Sinai Hospital, and at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. His research interests include genomic medicine, rare disorder registries and weaving novel genetic technologies into patient care.
Dr. Kim will co-direct the Cardiac Genome Clinic along with fellow medical geneticist Dr. Rebekah Jobling (SickKids), who is medical geneticist in the SickKids Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics and molecular geneticist in its Genome Diagnostics Molecular Laboratory.
“The clinic opens up the incredible opportunity for families facing cardiovascular issues to have a team of scientists search for answers in the genome,” said Dr. Kim. “Genome testing will gradually become a normalized part of care, and we are at the forefront of this evolution, and are already helping shape best practices in this area. The addition of unique team members like Dr. Jobling makes our team world-class.”
Dr. Kim joins three other scientific leads of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research: Dr. Seema Mital, Dr. Heather Ross, and Professor Craig Simmons who are respective experts in genetics, heart failure, and cell and tissue engineering. Together, they are helping direct a vast, collaborative effort to change the lives of Canadians who live with, or are at risk of, heart failure – a costly disease that is a global epidemic.
ABOUT THE TED ROGERS CENTRE FOR HEART RESEARCH
The Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research aims to develop new diagnoses, treatments and tools to prevent and individually manage heart failure – Canada’s fastest growing cardiac disease. Enabled by an unprecedented gift of $130 million from the Rogers family, the Centre was jointly conceived by its three partner organizations: The Hospital for Sick Children, University Health Network, and the University of Toronto. Together, they committed an additional $139 million toward the Centre – representing a $270 million investment in basic science, translational and clinical research, innovation, and education in regenerative medicine, genomics, and the clinical care of children and adults. It is addressing heart failure across the lifespan. www.tedrogersresearch.ca / @trogersresearch
To transform the care of children and adults with heart failure through discovery, innovation and knowledge translation.
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