CardioNext is an innovative training proposal organised by researchers at the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) to achieve three key aims. (i) Recruit talented and motivated graduate students to be trained as a new generation of translational researchers in cardiovascular disease. (ii) Create a well-developed and inter-connected network of academic scientific researchers and private sector companies to generate innovation and implement last-generation technologies for cardiovascular research. (iii) Develop basic and applied innovative aspects in cardiovascular research ranging from the generation of computational models of the ischemic heart (based on high resolution microscopy, large-scale data-gathering and integrative bioinformatics analysis) to the implementation of novel imaging and therapeutic strategies to repair the post-ischemic heart. As part of this translational training program, cardiac ischemia/reperfusion and post-infarction remodelling will be investigated in the pig preclinical model of myocardial infarction that will generate easy-to translate information. Animal and Imaging facilities at CNIC are pioneers in developing cardiovascular models in the pig. CNIC team comprises biologists, chemists, physicists, bioinformaticians, bioengineers and clinicians with multidisciplinary and complementary expertise in state-of-the-art technologies to train students in next generation cardiovascular research. Strong contribution of the private sector to this program will strengthen the current capabilities of CNIC providing students with new technological advances and training on innovation and the development of new products for the clinical practice.