Congratulations to Richard Jung, PhD, MD Candidate, who was selected as the Ottawa Region’s Cardiovascular Research Trainee of the Year! Dr. Jung is recognized for his exceptional productivity in research and outstanding leadership in the community. His research (under the tutelage of Dr. Benjamin Hibbert) is centred on translational research and meta-research through clinical outcomes studies.
Since his tenure as a Vanier Scholar, Dr. Jung has made outstanding contributions to cardiovascular research. Just last year, Richard received the Dr. Frans Leenen Excellence in Publication Award in Clinical Research from the UOHI for his paper titled “Transcatheter mitral valve repair in cardiogenic shock and mitral regurgitation: a patient-level multicenter analysis.” This article highlights Dr. Jung’s research in the Hibbert lab, which demonstrated that transcatheter mitral valve repair may improve both short- and immediate-term death in high-risk patients with cardiogenic shock and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation.
Dr. Jung has published 45 peer reviewed publications to date, and in this past year alone he has published nine first-authored original research papers, many of which were published in high-impact journals such as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation Research. This has accelerated the uptake of his research findings by international audiences, with his work being cited 627 times – a true testament to the impact of Dr. Jung’s research. This academic success is only going to grow; in fact, his recent Nature Communications paper on the importance of methodological rigour of COVID-19 research has already been cited over 50 times in its first year of publication!
Dr. Jung is recognized for his outstanding leadership in the research and trainee communities. He has served as a reviewer for multiple journals, including Frontiers in Bioengineering and Thrombosis Research. Closer to home, Richard has served as the Co-Chair of the UOHI Trainee Committee and was a Co-Founder of the Internal Medicine Summer Camp, designed to diversify medical students’ training through professional development sessions and clinics. Since joining Dr. Hibbert’s lab, Dr. Jung has shared his knowledge and skills with the next generation of scientists and physicians. Not only has he provided mentorship to students conducting their first clinical research projects, he has also served as a valuable role model for others embarking on the MD/PhD journey.
These are remarkable achievements – research excellence, dedication to the community and outstanding leadership. Dr. Jung exemplifies the next generation of research leaders.