Center for Wine and Cardiovascular Health (CWCH)
Director: Dale A. Parks, PhD
Established: 2004
The research mission of the Center
for Wine and Cardiovascular Health (CWCH) is to define the mechanisms contributing
to the benefit of moderate alcohol/wine consumption on the overall risk for
thrombosis, atherothrombosis, and myocardial infarction. In strong support of the basic research goals,
the Center’s major educational mission is to: 1) develop new education
initiatives to promote the science-based mechanisms and consequences that
underlie and contribute to the cardiovascular health benefits/risks attributed
to the moderate consumption of alcohol and wine; 2) improve dialogue and
communication in the field by providing the resources and opportunities to
establish national and international collaborations; 3) co-sponsor and organize
national and international scientific, education and policy meetings, satellite
symposia, and special lectures on the health benefits of alcohol/wine
consumption; and 4) promote social responsibility.
The Center’s major government-funded research program currently
has 15 faculty representing 5 departments and 3 schools at UAB.
Center Research
UAB’s internationally recognized
research program provides the opportunity to promote education and
communication of the science-based mechanisms that underlie the cardiovascular
protective effects of moderate wine/alcohol consumption. Building upon past funding for studies on the
pathology of cardiovascular disease, the Center was awarded a $7.6 million
multidisciplinary Program Project Grant in 2003 from the National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute for innovative scientific research in wine/alcohol. This represents the first multidisciplinary
programmatic grant in the
Center
Education and Communication
The technological infrastructure
required for the development of high-quality education and communication
initiatives to facilitate the dissemination of information to appropriate
target groups, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, is currently
under development.
Other
Accomplishments
Expertise in the field has led to
invited reviews and presentations for numerous agencies including the American
Heart Association (AHA), the NIH, the New York Academy of Science, the International
Society on Hypertension Research, and the Research Society on Alcoholism. In addition, the Center recently received the
2004-05 Silver Wine Productivity Tray presented by the Vinifera Wine Growers
Association. It also received additional
funding from the Association to continue its efforts. In addition, the Center has been successful
in the generation of several R01 applications that are currently pending.
Center faculty hold leadership roles
in the field of moderate alcohol/wine consumption and health benefits,
including advisory positions with the following organizations: the AHA, the Alcoholic Beverage Medical
Research Foundation, the Alcohol in Moderation Medical Council, The Wine
Institute, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
Training
Research training programs in the use of
state-of-the-art technologies are under development for national and
international exchange students and faculty in the field.
For
additional information:
Director: Dale A. Parks, PhD
Email: dalep@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-4665
Administrator:
Email: baj@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-4665
Approved by: Dale A. Parks, PhD,
Director
Date: April 21, 2008
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