study in this area, nor the larger, NIH-funded
study, based on those original findings, would
have been possible without the endowed chair
position and the support of the Bradley Family.
What differentiates Baylor from other health
care organizations?
The Cardiovascular Research Review
Committee (CVRRC) is incredibly important to
me and is very unique to Baylor. Funding from the
Foundation supports the CVRRC, which provides
support for investigator-initiated studies. This
intramural funding mechanism provides “seed”
funding for pilot or exploratory studies. That can
then form the basis for grant applications to organizations for further research and quality
improvement.
To what do you attribute your success?
Being curious; being tenacious, having grit! By
that I mean to really, really keep trying — don’t
give up! Empathy is also critical. I always say to
my students and interns, the best thing you can
have is a love for knowledge and an education
because this combination will open the doors to
address your questions about the world and your
place in it. Learn as much as possible and if you
try hard, you can maximize the probability to
reach your goals. Every day I try to solve something new, ask a new question and then work hard
to find an answer. It should go without saying that
none of this would have been possible without the
support of my mentor and my family.
“The best thing you can have is a love for knowledge and an
education because this combination will open the doors to address
your questions about the world and your place in it.”
– Dr. Giovanni Filardo
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