Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is today the main cause of death globally. While progress in prevention and therapy has led to reduced death rates in high-income countries, an epidemic increase is taking place in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In fact, LMICs, including in the sub-Saharan African region, are fast emerging as the new epicentre of the global CVD epidemic, where CVD and certain other non-communicable diseases are projected to increasingly pose a challenge to public health and national economies. Furthermore, in the sub-Saharan Africa region, an additional burden of CVD attributable to HIV is emerging. The aims of this symposium are twofold: to assess progress in research on disease mechanisms and their translation into prevention and therapy, and to discuss how best to use this knowledge to control and improve the CVD situation in the world of today and tomorrow.
The Nobel Symposium (NS171) on Progress and Challenges in Cardiovascular Medicine from 21 – 25 October 2024 will be the fourth symposium in the Nobel in Africa series at STIAS. This invitation-only symposium will gather leading scientists, together with selected observers, in the field of cardiovascular medicine for five days, with lectures, discussions and ample time for informal conversations. It will also create a unique opportunity to adapt current scientific knowledge for handling the CVD epidemic in low- and middle-income countries.
Convenors: Göran Hansson, Karolinska Institute, Jan Nilsson, Lund University and Hans Strijdom, Stellenbosch University
Nobel in Africa is a STIAS Initiative in partnership with Stellenbosch University, under the auspices of the Nobel Foundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences with funding from the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation.