UF Researchers Use $8 Million-Plus Grant To Educate Physicians About Vascular Biology

August 20, 1998

GAINESVILLE—The University of Florida has received a one-year grant totaling more than $8 million to further develop continuing education programs for doctors in the field of vascular biology, officials announced today.

Formed in 1994, UF’s Vascular Biology Working Group aims to improve the cardiovascular health of patients by serving as a forum for the review, exchange and assimilation of findings from different areas of vascular biology research for dissemination to clinicians worldwide. The group currently has more than 2,200 members.

Vascular biology encompasses a broad spectrum of disciplines related to the prevention and management of all aspects of diseases affecting blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, stroke and diabetes.

“The Vascular Biology Working Group attempts to translate the science of vascular biology and new developments in vascular biology into a clinically useful message, so we can develop consensus on new treatment patterns and strategies related to the new biology,” said Dr. Carl J. Pepine, chief of cardiovascular medicine at UF’s College of Medicine and program chairman. “To do this, we had to create a faculty, a group of people who are sufficiently knowledgeable in this area, so that we could then start disseminating this message.”

A key function of the working group is to achieve agreement on the implications recent research findings have for present and future practices in patient care, and to develop a consensus on practical guidelines for day-to-day management of the coronary artery disease patient.

The funding, provided through an unrestricted educational grant from Morris Plains, N.J.-based Parke-Davis, a division of Warner-Lambert Co., will be used in part to expand educational programs, including grand rounds presentations, regional meetings and national conferences.

Upcoming events include a regional educators conference Aug. 22 in Springfield, Mass., and the group’s European Chapter Meeting Sept. 19-20 in Vienna.

The Vascular Biology Working Group is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.