Finding new ways to explore the heart: Professor Godfrey Smith.

Issued: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 15:18:00 BST

Little is known about the cause of sudden cardiac death, largely because its very nature makes it such a difficult condition to study. The onset of symptoms is unexpected and the patient dies within minutes. Currently there’s no treatment, but Professor of Cardiovascular Cardiology Godfrey Smith is investigating the electrical origins of the condition in the hope that his research might translate into effective therapies.

‘My interest is in how the heart manages to beat automatically and continually, and how it coordinates its beats through the electrical signal process,’ says Professor Smith. ‘I’m keen to understand how electrical cordination stays intact when working at a much higher rate – for example, while exercising – and how changes in heart failure may lead to a less stable situation where lethal arrhythmias are common.’

A second issue is that the heart contracts weakly when it has been damaged, never quite returning to normal. An additional aim for Professor Smith is to work out ways to increase the forced contraction of the heart back to normal without doing it any harm. Treatments to improve performance in the past have been unsuccessful, with adverse effects accompanying any restored forced contraction.

What’s most problematic about studying the heart is that it consists of many millions of cells linked mechanically and electrically in order that they may contract. While it’s possible to study a single cell in isolation, it’s not terribly efficient. Instead, Professor Smith and his colleagues at Glasgow have been developing techniques to study the entire heart of an experimental animal.

Professor Smith explains: ‘We use optical techniques including high-power lasers and special high-speed cameras to “see” the electrical activity in different areas of the heart. Part of what attracts people to the lab is that we have to build our own equipment to do our research. Our reputation for making measurements others haven’t been able to make is a real motivator.’

Each year, there are five PhD studentships focusing on cardiovascular research. Four of these are courtesy of a four-year British Heart Foundation (BHF) scholarship scheme for EU students; the University funds a fifth studentship. Glasgow is one of the few centres to offer the BHF scheme, which involves a oneyear MRes followed by a research project of the student’s choosing.

'Glasgow has an international reputation in cardiovascular work and an environment of excellent translational and clinical contact,’ says Professor Smith. ‘We make sure that students’ experience here is good, and then we mentor them through to their next position.’