Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Australia's home of heart research, dedicated to finding cures for cardiovascular disease You can help us find cures for Australia’s leading cause of death.

Heart disease is the number one killer of all Australians, claiming the lives of 24 people every single day. An estimated 1.2 million Australian adults aged 18 years and over had 1 or more conditions related to heart or vascular disease. At the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Australia’s Home of Heart Research, we know how important it is to be part of the community that shares in the stories of heart disease, creating awareness of its prevalence , the latest research underway and the major medical breakthroughs. This is your Community Page and we encourage you to be part of the conversation. However, please be aware that you must abide by Facebook’s Community Standards (https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards) and Australian Privacy laws. Facebook automatically reviews, hides, and flags content, which is deemed inappropriate, or makes other community members feel unsafe or disrespected. Such inappropriate material includes, but is not limited to, offensive, hateful, irrelevant, spam; any content which portrays/condones the consumption of addictive or illicit substances and activities; and/or misleading, unsubstantiated medical and scientific claims. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute also reserves the right to hide or delete comments, or permanently ban any participant who fails to adhere to these Community Guidelines. Please understand that community comments posted to this page do not represent the opinions of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Make your contribution to heart research here: http://bit.ly/1V55e8t

in 1984, a team of 20 specialists led by Dr Victor Chang, performed Australia’s first successful heart transplant on 3...
23/02/2026

in 1984, a team of 20 specialists led by Dr Victor Chang, performed Australia’s first successful heart transplant on 39-year-old shearer Peter Apthorpe from Armidale. The father of two underwent a four-hour operation at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. “The new heart worked beautifully the minute it was allowed to beat,” Dr Chang said at the time.

Just two months later, Dr Chang performed another heart transplant on 14-year-old Fiona Coote, making her Australia's youngest heart transplant recipient at the time. More than four decades on, over 100 Australians have a transplant each year thanks to the teams at St Vincent’s Hospital and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

Learn more about Dr Victor Chang: https://www.victorchang.edu.au/about-us/victor-chang

We were honoured to be part of the ACvA Awards Night in Sydney, celebrating excellence in cardiovascular research last w...
23/02/2026

We were honoured to be part of the ACvA Awards Night in Sydney, celebrating excellence in cardiovascular research last week.
The Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA) Excellence in Cardiovascular Research Awards shine a light on the researchers whose work is driving progress against Australia’s biggest killer.
Institute Deputy Director and newly appointed ACvA President, Professor Jamie Vandenberg led a powerful on stage conversation with Syed Ahmed, whose personal story brought into sharp focus why cardiovascular research matters — not just in the lab, but for patients, families, and communities.

A heartfelt thank you to Syed for sharing his journey so openly, and to ACvA for bringing together researchers, clinicians and advocates united by a shared commitment to improving heart health and saving lives.

To our wonderful community taking on the South32 Rottnest Channel Swim tomorrow, raising funds and awareness for heart h...
20/02/2026

To our wonderful community taking on the South32 Rottnest Channel Swim tomorrow, raising funds and awareness for heart health and research - we're right behind you! 🏊💕
From Darlinghurst to our hubs across Australia, our teams are cheering you on and wishing you a safe, strong swim.
Just keep swimming - we’re with you every stroke of the way!

💔 Stuart was just 34 when his heart suddenly stopped.He was fit, healthy and looking forward to starting a family with h...
19/02/2026

💔 Stuart was just 34 when his heart suddenly stopped.
He was fit, healthy and looking forward to starting a family with his wife Laura. Four days after Stuart died from sudden cardiac arrest, Laura found out she was pregnant with their baby.
Laura shares their story to honour Stuart, and to raise awareness of how heart disease can strike without warning — even in young, active people.
👉 Read Stuart’s story:
https://www.victorchang.edu.au/patients/stuart-aisbett

18/02/2026

❤️ Eating for your heart can be simple – and delicious.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute’s Heart‑Healthy Balanced Plate Guide shows how small changes at mealtimes can make a big difference to your heart health.
Better still, there’s an interactive tool that lets you build your own plate and learn how to balance vegetables, wholegrains and lean proteins in a way that works for you.
👉 Explore the guide and give it a go:
https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heart-healthy-balanced-plate-guide

17/02/2026

SCAD Research, Inc. begin the 2026 SCAD Awareness Week today - please follow their page, and join in the challenges they will post on their social media accounts. ❤️

During February, we’ve shared FMD and SCAD stories, if you want to read these stories, you can scroll back on our social media pages or check the hashtags:
and

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

From SCAD Research, Inc. page -

“Will you accept the SCAD Heart Attack Awareness Challenge?

Next week is SCAD Heart Attack Awareness Week. Starting Sunday, February 15th, through February 21st, check our social media accounts for a new challenge.

Join the fun and raise awareness about SCAD, too!”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

SCAD Research Inc. Australia are also joining to raise awareness of SCAD, so please also follow their social media. ❤️

We will post links to SCAD resources from our international colleagues, and you can help by re-sharing these resources.






Side by side, in and out of the water. 🌊 Riccardo and his partner Narumi are taking on the Rottnest Channel Duo Swim as ...
16/02/2026

Side by side, in and out of the water. 🌊 Riccardo and his partner Narumi are taking on the Rottnest Channel Duo Swim as the CAMMASAKI TEAM, swimming nearly 20km across open water in support of causes close to their hearts.

For Riccardo, this swim is deeply personal. After losing his father to a heart attack, he saw firsthand the impact of heart disease and the importance of research that helps save lives. By supporting Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Riccardo and Narumi are helping advance vital heart research while standing alongside families affected by heart disease every day.

As they train together for this incredible challenge, their swim reflects the power of partnership, purpose, and choosing to turn loss into hope for others.

We’re grateful to Riccardo and Narumi for choosing to support the Institute and for sharing their journey with us ❤️

Follow their swim and support their journey: https://www.gofundme.com/f/duo-swim-for-heart-ocean-conservation

Rottnest Island, Western Australia

We're partnering with hearts4heart this week to help to speed up Australia’s response to heart valve disease (HVD)❤️⏱️ M...
15/02/2026

We're partnering with hearts4heart this week to help to speed up Australia’s response to heart valve disease (HVD)❤️⏱️ More than 600,000 Australians are affected by HVD and a further 250,000 are unaware they have the disease.

Know the SLOW symptoms:

🫁 Shortness of breath
💫 Lightheadedness on exertion
⏳ Older than your years
😴 Weary or unusually fatigued

Knowing your risk and getting an early diagnosis is critical and can be a simple as asking for a stethoscope check from your GP 🩺💓

Learn more about heart valve disease: https://ow.ly/1OGG50Yga7T

Today as many celebrate Valentine's Day, we are marking our own significant milestone - our 32nd anniversary as an Insti...
15/02/2026

Today as many celebrate Valentine's Day, we are marking our own significant milestone - our 32nd anniversary as an Institute💓 It is a moment for us to pause and reflect on three decades of discovery, innovation and commitment to putting better heart health into more hands.

Behind every breakthrough there has been a community that believes in it, and that community is you. Whether you have championed our work for years or have recently joined our community, your support is what allows our researchers to tackle the world’s biggest killer.

Together, we have been able to unravel the complexities of heart disease and bring new hope to families across the globe. Every experiment conducted and every discovery achieved is because of generous people like you.

Thank you so much for believing in our vision and supporting the work of our scientists for 32 years, and the years to come.

What do patients really think about genetic testing for atrial fibrillation (AF)? In collaboration with The University o...
13/02/2026

What do patients really think about genetic testing for atrial fibrillation (AF)? In collaboration with The University of Melbourne that’s the question our new study set out to answer — bringing fresh insight into the consumer perspective, an increasingly important part of our cardiac research.

While clinicians can recommend tests, it’s crucial to understand what patients actually value. Genetic testing for AF isn’t routinely performed, so hearing directly from consumers helps guide how this could be used in the future.

Our focus groups — small by design — have also informed a larger national survey soon to be published. And as genomics becomes more integrated into heart care, keep an eye out for opportunities to share your voice and shape the research.

Read the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1443950625016592

Atrial Fibrillation Support Australia Atrial Fibrillation Support Group Atrial Fibrillation support group Atrial Fibrillation Support

11/02/2026

Today we’re tackling an urgent but under-recognized health issue: heart attacks in women, particularly premenopausal women. While heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, research shows that younger women are at higher risk of being misdiagnosed or undertreated because their symptoms...

Science and gender equity advance together - it's what we know, and what we celebrate today on International Day of Wome...
11/02/2026

Science and gender equity advance together - it's what we know, and what we celebrate today on International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Australia has a gender imbalance in medical research leadership, a problem that impacts what is researched, and who preventions and treatments are designed for. We've seen in our own labs that diverse perspectives and experiences deliver better and more equitable healthcare for everyone and it's why we've started our Giving Circle for Women in Science. Invest in a future where women lead scientific discovery, learn more: https://www.victorchang.edu.au/giving-circle-women-in-science

Address

405 Liverpool Street
Sydney, NSW
2010

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+61292958600

Website

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Discovering Cures for Heart Disease

The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute is dedicated to finding cures for cardiovascular disease. Based in Australia, it has earned its place on the global stage as one of the most respected heart research facilities in the world.

Renowned for the quality of our breakthroughs, the Victor Chang Institute is striving to discover better ways to diagnose, treat and ultimately prevent the onset of heart disease.

Globally more than 17 million people die of cardiovascular disease every year. A life is lost to cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes in Australia, and three times more women die of heart disease than breast cancer. Every four hours a baby is also born with a heart defect. At the Victor Chang Institute, we have a team of more than 300 passionate scientists who use innovative research techniques and perform complex molecular and genetic analysis to create a world without heart disease. Our life-saving research is focused on heart attacks, stroke, heart transplantation, cardiac arrests, congenital heart disease, birth defects, inherited heart disease and stem cell therapies. You can help us find cures for Australia’s leading cause of death today. Donate Now: https://www.victorchang.edu.au/donate