The CNIC

The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, CNIC (National Center of Cardiovascular Investigation), in Madrid, Spain, has rapidly established itself as a leading international center for cardiovascular research through pioneering leadership and a research strategy that cuts across disciplinary boundaries.Over the past 10 years, the CNIC has built an unrivalled infrastructure and a powerful, cross-disciplinary research base that embraces multiple disciplines and both population and patient studies. One of the keys to this achievement is the commitment of national government to building a flagship research institute to tackle the cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemic. But the public purse is only part of the story; most importantly, the CNIC is funded through an innovative public–private financing structure, which injects not only added financial security but also the wide-ranging business and management expertise of some of the most prominent Spanish businesses (Pro CNIC Foundation, see below).The other key ingredient underpinning the CNIC’s success is a clear and consistently applied vision, at the heart of which is a shift from an emphasis on clinical events (the current paradigm) to the identification of CVD in its preclinical stages (the new paradigm pursued by the CNIC). This vision brings a cohesive strategy that embraces public health promotion, research infrastructure, professional training, and a clear focus on close collaboration between basic and clinical researchers to ensure that acquired knowledge is translated into real-health benefits. This vision is brought to reality through an agile management structure that promotes training and the exchange of ideas and expertise, a comprehensive modern infrastructure of technical units and support services, and above all a young, energetic team of scientists, clinicians, and technicians dedicated to advancing knowledge about and treatment of CVD.The Center’s strategic direction is defined by CNIC Director Valentin Fuster, who currently combines functions as General Director …