Cardiology & Making Music - IBMSPod Ep.9
In episode 9, Rameen spoke to us about the underlying genetic causes of cardiovascular disease in light of a shocking recent incident and the release of a breakthrough paper on the topic.
In this month's LabLife, Francis discusses how making music helps him unwind after a busy day in the lab, as well as his work on LGBT equality and representation across the NHS.
Cardiology with Dr Rameen Shakur
The world was shocked when Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's opening match of the recent Euro 2020 competition. Erikson's heart had stopped, but thanks to the swift efforts of teammates and doctors, he was revived and rushed to hospital to recover. Eriksen is not the only footballer to have suffered from sudden cardiac arrest, Fabrice Muamba collapsed mid-game in 2012, and Marc-Vivien Foe tragically died during a match in 2013. But the condition doesn't just affect footballers - anyone at any moment could suffer from a cardiac arrest. The BBC reports that 30,000 cardiac arrests occur each year in the UK away from hospitals - all needing emergency care, with just one in 10 people surviving.
But what causes these sudden devastating cardiac events? Dr Rameen Shakur, expert in cardiovascular disease and clinical scientist at MIT, joined us on this month's episode to investigate this further. We discussed the recent incident concerning Christian Erikson and Rameen explained the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrests in young people – a set of conditions known as genetic cardiomyopathies.
We also talked about his new paper - a global collaboration between Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Cambridge, MIT and Lund University. The work analyses the underlying causes of hereditary heart disorders and creates a new computer tool to allow clinicians to help predict cardiac conditions and tailor treatment.
In the quick-fire round, Rameen was asked which of our vices puts us at the most significant risk from heart attack and cardiac arrest, what skills are needed to become a cardiologist, and the most exciting development in the cardiovascular medicine space right now.
LabLife with Francis Yongblah
July's LabLife features senior Biomedical Scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital Francis Yongblah. He talks about his projects outside the lab, including making music with the London Gay Symphony Orchestra, fighting for LGBT representation and equality in the workplace and a brand-new antimicrobial resistance festival.
How to listen
To listen to any of our podcasts, series 1 and 2, as well as subscribe to future episodes, visit:
Episode outline
0:28 – IBMS News
1:40 – Feature Interview with Dr Rameen Shakur
1:55 - Part 1: Cardiology, Christian Eriksen and cardiomyopathy – including an introduction to Rameen's research and the field of cardiac medicine. Dscussion on the cardiac arrest of Christian Eriksen and an explanation of the underlying disease group, cardiomyopathies.
13:02 – Part 2: New paper in genomic medicine: Rameen discusses his new paper, which creates a computer tool to integrate genomic and clinical data for precision in cardiovascular medicine.
29:00 – Quick-fire Round: Skillsets for cardiology, worst vice for heart health, most exciting development in cardiovascular medicine.
30:08 – LabLife with Francis Yongblah
Links to further resources
IBMS News:
Dr Rameen Shakur:
- Becoming a Cardiologist & Research Profile
- New Paper: Genomic Medicine
- Wellcome Sangar Institute News Story
- Recent Blog Piece
- LinkedIn Profile
LabLife with Francis Yongblah:
- Profile with London Gay Symphony Orchestra
- Celebrating Pride Month: Guest Blog
- Pride in London story
- Precision AMR PhD Project
- Rise of the Resistance Festival
- Twitter Profile