Latest News: Local Surgeon receives over £100,000 for pioneering research Project

Mr Gavin Murphy, 41, a surgeon and Reader at the University of Bristol has received a Novel and Emerging Technology Grant of £116,218 from national heart charity, Heart Research UK to investigate gene therapy in vein grafts that are used in heart bypass surgery.

During heart bypass surgery, sections of vein are often removed from the leg to get around blocked coronary arteries and improve blood supply to the heart muscle. However, these vein grafts often narrow in the months and years to follow because they are affected by the same disease that blocked the original artery and the surgery may have to be repeated.

Previous research has shown that the growth of microscopic blood vessels in the wall of the vein graft can prevent vein graft disease from developing. The HGF gene has been shown to promote the growth of these small blood vessels and has been used successfully in the legs of patients with blocked leg arteries. Mr Murphy’s research will establish if HGF gene therapy can be used to prevent vein graft disease.

Mr Murphy, says: “I am delighted to have been awarded funding for my research project. By carrying out further investigation into the HGF gene and how it can be used to benefit those who have had heart bypass surgery, it will hopefully reduce the number of patients who experience recurrent angina and heart attacks.”

Barbara Harpham, National Director at Heart Research UK, says: “Over the past 11 years Heart Research UK has awarded well over £600,000 worth of medical grants, to researchers in Bristol alone and we are pleased to include Mr Murphy and his project as one of them, we wish all the best with his study and will look forward to a project update.”