spanish national cardiovascular research centre spanish national cardiovascular research centre the national centre for cardiovascular research (spanish: centro nacional de investigaciones cardiovasculares or cnic) is a spanish research institute. the centre was founded in 1999 and has purpose-built facilities on the campus of the carlos iii health institute in madrid. the director is valentín fuster. since 2005 the institute has been supported by the government and by a group of leading spanish companies and charitable foundations (the pro-cnic foundation). research programmes in 2010 felipe pétriz, secretary of state for research, and emilio botín, president of the santander group, signed an agreement to launch the cnic-santander pesa study (progression of early subclinical atherosclerosis). this prospective study, which in 2019 concluded its first phase, was aimed at advancing knowledge on the progression of cardiovascular disease.