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The foundation stone for the new Spanish National Cardiovascular Centre (CNIC) was laid last week. The €31.5 million centre, due to open next year, is located on the campus of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III — the research body of the Health Ministry — in Madrid, close to the new Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO).The ministry, which is funding the centre, hopes that CNIC will lead the way in a new era of cardiovascular research in Spain. Prime Minister José Maria Aznar took the opportunity of the launch event last week to announce a new National Plan on Cardiovascular Diseases. The plan is initially aimed at reducing the burden of coronary heart disease via improving prevention and treatment, but it also places a strong emphasis on basic and translational research.Indeed, CNIC — which will act as the nucleus of a national network of centres and groups — plans to devise a genetic map of the Spanish population to aid the early identification of high-risk patients and to find out how risk factors are influenced by the Mediterranean diet. Last October, CNIC signed an agreement with the Spanish Association of Familial Hypercholesterolemia to identify genetic mutations acting as predisposing factors.Honduran Salvador Moncada, who heads the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at University College London, has been the executive consultant for CNIC since its first research groups started to work in borrowed facilities in 1999.Once fully operational, CNIC — which began construction last spring — will employ 320 scientists working in 11,200 m2 of lab space. Current areas of research include endothelial genetic expression, inflammation and nitric oxide biology (Moncada's own field). There is also a cytometry unit and it is envisaged that the centre will encompass work on genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics.Moncada told The Scientist that in the long term, CNIC should largely rely on private funding and on raising revenue from patents on new drugs. But right now, he noted, what makes CNIC different from other public research centres in Spain is that it's run as a Foundation. This allows more flexibility in the management system. Senior researchers are offered five-year contracts, which will be renewed on the basis of performance. Also, only postdocs who have spent three years working abroad will be able to complete their training at CNIC. "We want the best ones… to make CNIC internationally competitive," Moncada pointed out, adding that the centre is currently identifying candidates for research positions and potential new lines of research.Commenting on the possibility of moving to Spain himself, Moncada cited the poor record of investment in science of successive Spanish governments. Although the idea that science is vitally important for a country's progress "already exists," what is needed now is to "shape that idea," he argued. The only way to improve the situation is a long-term commitment to ensuring a more "stable financing framework." Only after CNIC is fully operational, provided that such long-term commitment is made, including a timetable for the framework, "I may come to Spain to head CNIC," said Moncada.CNIO head Mariano Barbacid told The Scientist he is "delighted that the Spanish government continues its investment in new research centres for biomedical research and with the fact that a superb scientist such as Salvador Moncada has been chosen as director." He said, however, he could not hide his concerns that Moncada "does not seem to be making a firm commitment to leave London, which may leave this project without a visible head."

Spanish cardiovascular research boosted

Spanish National Cardiovascular Centre launched amid uncertainty over leadership.

Feb 17, 2003

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