Los Angeles-based UCLA Health has established a cardiovascular discovery and translational research chair through a $2 million donation.
The gift came from the Jivrajka Family Foundation to support cardiovascular disease prevention in South Asians and other high-risk populations, according to a Feb. 17 system news release. Ravid Dave, MD, director of the South Asian heart program and director of interventional cardiology and the interventional cardiology fellowship program, was appointed inaugural holder of the Jivrajka Family Foundation Chair.
“This chair supports the division’s efforts to develop individualized approaches to high-risk populations with coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular conditions; build a research team to better understand the genetic and environmental factors contributing to cardiovascular disease in at-risk populations; and develop targeted cardiovascular therapies including holistic approaches,” Priscilla Hsue, MD, chief of the division of cardiology, said in the release. “I am delighted that Dr. Dave is leading these efforts.”
People of South Asian descent account for more than half of cardiovascular deaths worldwide and are more likely to develop heart risk factors earlier in life, the release said.
Leave a Reply