29th April 2026
Meet Amy Carswell - Executive Director of Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) Dublin
As Executive Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) Dublin, Amy Carswell is at the forefront of pioneering cardiovascular studies that help shape patient care across Mater Private Network.
Her role includes strategic planning, research oversight, team leadership, and continuous innovation. Recently, Amy shared insights into her daily work, the team behind CVRI Dublin, and how their research transforms patient treatment.
Can you walk us through what a typical day looks like as Executive Director of CVRI Dublin?
My days rarely look the same, and that variety is a big part of why I enjoy this role. I spend much of my time supporting our research teams to ensure our studies run smoothly, safely, and in full compliance with regulatory standards.
I meet regularly with clinicians, research nurses, coordinators, and external partners to review study progress, address challenges, and keep everything aligned with our goals.
Alongside day‑to‑day oversight, I also focus on our strategic direction. This includes identifying future research priorities, nurturing collaborations, securing research funding, and ensuring our teams have the resources they need.
Although the tasks shift constantly, my main goal is always the same: to help drive meaningful, evidence‑based improvements in cardiovascular care.
Who makes up the CVRI Dublin team? What mix of people and expertise does it take to run a research institute like this?
CVRI Dublin depends on a wide range of expertise, and I’m fortunate to work with a multidisciplinary team. This is a team of people with different skills, interests, and specialties, all of whom lend their expertise to help us achieve our goals.
Within our team we have cardiologists, research nurses, administrators and scientists. Their focus is on providing quality, evidence-based research that is compliant with ethical and regulatory standards, which is also at the forefront of cardiology research.
Our team originates from 18 countries across the world, so it creates a wonderful, diverse environment where we share knowledge and skills, both within team, but also with the students that we supervise through our academic partnerships. What brings us all together is a commitment to producing high‑quality research that truly benefits patients.
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Can you tell us about some of the studies currently underway and what clinical questions they’re trying to answer?
We’re involved in a broad and very exciting mix of studies at the moment. One example is the CYCLOPES study, which focuses on treating patients with heavy calcium build up and plaque in their coronary arteries.
These cases can be difficult to manage, and this project is assessing a new decision‑support tool that helps clinicians determine the safest and most effective method for preparing the artery before inserting a stent.
We’re also carrying out research on how advanced imaging can guide more precise coronary procedures, how next‑generation stents perform, new medications and devices that may improve long‑term outcomes, and techniques and technologies that could reduce complications and speed up recovery following procedures.
We undertake studies in cardiovascular, electrophysiology, structural heart, heart failure and cardiology imaging. Every study is designed around real‑world clinical challenges, ensuring the answers we find are useful in daily practice.
How does the research happening at CVRI Dublin translate into better outcomes for patients who are treated at Mater Private Network?
Having a research Institute like CVRI Dublin enables Mater Private Network to attract leading consultant cardiologists who are interested in progressing treatments, techniques, and processes for delivering the best possible care for our patients.
Alongside this, because CVRI Dublin is embedded within the Network, the findings from our trials and studies can be brought into patient care almost immediately. When we identify a safer technique, a more effective device, or a better approach to guiding treatment, our clinicians can adopt it straight away. The work we undertake is then translated into international guidelines to support patient care, not only in the Mater Private Network, but across Europe.
Patients also benefit from access to clinical trials, which give them opportunities to receive innovative therapies and technologies at an earlier stage than they otherwise might have.
Research helps ensure that Mater Private Network consistently delivers evidence‑based, and most up‑to‑date cardiovascular care possible.
Is there a piece of research the team has produced that you're particularly proud of, and why?
I’m proud of many of our projects, but our work in the area of complex coronary disease stands out, especially research focused on managing heavily calcified arteries. These procedures are among the most challenging in cardiology, and our findings have the potential to help improve safety, consistency, and patient outcomes.
I’m also very proud of the collaborative nature of this work. Studies like CYCLOPES are centred on our academic partnership with the RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences and enable us to work with clinicians across Europe. CVRI Dublin now plays a leading role in Cardiology Research in Europe and seeing the real‑world impact of this research, and knowing it benefits patients directly, is incredibly rewarding.
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