Recognizing Excellence in Cardiovascular Research
Trainees from the Cardiovascular Health Across the Lifespan (CHAL) Program are making waves with recent achievements that highlight their leadership in cardiovascular research. From national conferences to peer-reviewed publications, CHAL trainees are earning recognition for their outstanding contributions to heart health research.
Kate Lindsay, a PhD student supervised by Judy Luu, MD, PhD, and Matthias Friedrich, MD, was selected by McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to present her research at the International Congress of Academic Medicine (ICAM), taking place April 2–6, 2025, in Halifax. Her work focuses on the subclinical impact of cardiovascular risk factors—a key area for early detection and prevention. Kate received an honorable mention for her presentation.
Kristina Cunanan, an MSc student also supervised by Judy Luu, MD, PhD, and Matthias Friedrich, MD, is the recipient of the 2024 Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance Travel Award. She will attend the 2025 Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit in Ottawa, where her research on sex- and gender-specific aspects of cardiovascular health will contribute to advancing women’s heart health in Canada.
Maya Verma, an MDCM student supervised by Judy Luu, MD, PhD, had a paper accepted in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (March 2025). Her study explores sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk factors with subclinical cardiac remodeling using magnetic resonance imaging, shedding light on how gender influences cardiovascular health.
Jae Hyun Byun, a PhD student supervised by Stella Daskalopoulou, MD, PhD, was named an Oral Presentation Award Finalist at the 25th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference (AMBGC). He also received a Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel (GREAT) Award from McGill University in support of his ongoing research dissemination efforts.
“The CHAL program is incredibly proud of our trainees, whose dedication and excellence are driving meaningful advances in cardiovascular health across Canada and beyond,” expressed Mariane Bertagnolli, PhD, co-leader of the CHAL program. “Their recent achievements highlight not only their individual talents, but also the strength of our research teams, and the power of collaboration within our program.”
Congratulations to all CHAL Program trainees on these exceptional accomplishments and their growing impact on cardiovascular research.