Ottawa Cardiovascular Research Day 2019

Date

The Ottawa Cardiovascular Research Day was held on May 13, 2019 at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI).

About

The Ottawa Cardiovascular Research Day celebrates the region’s research excellence through moderated oral presentations and poster sessions. It is an excellent venue for trainees to showcase their outstanding projects, hone their presentation skills, and network with faculty and colleagues.

This event is open to all cardiovascular research trainees in the Ottawa region.

The event proceedings will be in English only.

Keynote Speaker

We are very pleased to have hosted the esteemed Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering Researcher and Professor at the University of Toronto, Dr. Milica Radisic, as the event’s keynote speaker.

Pictures

From left to right - Top row: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf and Dr. Daniele Chirico; Dr. Peter Liu, Dr. Robert Reid and Dr. Jodi Edwards; Dr. David Smyth and Ms. Sabrina Robichaud Middle row: Dr. Sharon Chih (Co-Chair, Research Day Committee) and Audience; Mr. Spencer Manwell; Audience at 32nd Cardiovascular Research Day Bottom row: Dr. Thomas Lagace and Dr. Veronika Sedlakova; Ms. Erika Mery, University of Ottawa; Dr. Erin Mulvihill and Mr. Gedaliah Farber
From left to right - Top row: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf and Dr. Daniele Chirico; Dr. Peter Liu, Dr. Robert Reid and Dr. Jodi Edwards; Dr. David Smyth and Ms. Sabrina Robichaud Middle row: Dr. Sharon Chih (Co-Chair, Research Day Committee) and Audience; Mr. Spencer Manwell; Audience at 32nd Cardiovascular Research Day Bottom row: Dr. Thomas Lagace and Dr. Veronika Sedlakova; Ms. Erika Mery, University of Ottawa; Dr. Erin Mulvihill and Mr. Gedaliah Farber
Innovation Award Panel Judges intrigued by our Innovation Award Finalists' pitches: Dr. Mireille Ouimet (Innovation Award Session Moderator, UOHI), Mr. Simon Kennedy (Health Canada), Mr. Michel Ranger, and Dr. Robert Reid (UOHI)
Innovation Award Panel Judges intrigued by our Innovation Award Finalists' pitches: Dr. Mireille Ouimet (Innovation Award Session Moderator, UOHI), Mr. Simon Kennedy (Health Canada), Mr. Michel Ranger, and Dr. Robert Reid (UOHI)
Dr. Milica Radisic (left), Research Day Keynote Speaker and Dr. Erik Suuronen (right), Chair, Research Day Committee
Dr. Milica Radisic (left), Research Day Keynote Speaker and Dr. Erik Suuronen (right), Chair, Research Day Committee
From left to right: Mr. Uzair Sayani (Award for Best Basic Science Poster; Supervisor: Dr. Benjamin Rotstein); Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf (Honourable Mention for Basic Science Poster; Supervisor: Dr. Peter Liu); Dr. Kimberley Way (Honourable Mention for Clinical Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Reed); Ms. Yena Oh (Award for Best Basic Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Han Kim); Dr. Tina Zhu (Award for Best Clinical Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Thais Coutinho)
From left to right: Mr. Uzair Sayani (Award for Best Basic Science Poster; Supervisor: Dr. Benjamin Rotstein); Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf (Honourable Mention for Basic Science Poster; Supervisor: Dr. Peter Liu); Dr. Kimberley Way (Honourable Mention for Clinical Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Reed); Ms. Yena Oh (Award for Best Basic Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Han Kim); Dr. Tina Zhu (Award for Best Clinical Science Oral Presentation; Supervisor: Dr. Thais Coutinho)
Dr. Erik Suuronen (left), Chair, Research Day Committee; Dr. Sharon Chih (centre), Co-Chair, Research Day Committee; Dr. Thierry Mesana (right), CEO, UOHI
Dr. Erik Suuronen (left), Chair, Research Day Committee; Dr. Sharon Chih (centre), Co-Chair, Research Day Committee; Dr. Thierry Mesana (right), CEO, UOHI
Dr. Peter Liu, Chief Scientific Officer and VP Research, UOHI, during the opening remarks of the 32nd Annual Cardiovascular Research Day.
Dr. Peter Liu, Chief Scientific Officer and VP Research, UOHI, during the opening remarks of the 32nd Annual Cardiovascular Research Day.

Awards

Event prizes recognize the best oral presentations and posters, including the Polk Award for the Best Clinical Science Oral Presentation, the Coralie Lalonde Innovation Award for the most ‘innovative’ abstract, amongst others.

Ottawa Cardiovascular Region Trainee of the Year

Dr. Janet Ngu (right) received the Trainee of the Year Award from Dr. Peter Liu. Dr. Ngu is a Cardiac Surgery Resident working with Dr. Fraser Rubens
Dr. Janet Ngu (right) received the Trainee of the Year Award from Dr. Peter Liu. Dr. Ngu is a Cardiac Surgery Resident working with Dr. Fraser Rubens

Coralie Lalonde Innovation Award Winners

  • Dr. Aizhu Lu, Postdoctoral Fellow (Supervisor: Dr. Wenbin Liang), UOHI
    A novel strategy to correct the key defect causing sudden deaths in Brugada Syndrome patients
  • Dr. Aws Almufleh, Cardiology Resident (Supervisor: Dr. Sharon Chih), UOHI
    MicroRNA Biosignatures in Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy
Drs. Aizhu Lu (third from right) and Aws Almufleh (third from left) received the Innovation Award from Ms. Coralie Lalonde (centre), CEO, Katsura Investments
Drs. Aizhu Lu (third from right) and Aws Almufleh (third from left) received the Innovation Award from Ms. Coralie Lalonde (centre), CEO, Katsura Investments

Presentation Prizes

Dr. Yves Marcel Award for the Best Basic Science Oral Presentation

  • Ms. Yena Oh, PhD Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Han Kim), UOHI
    The Role of Irx5 in Establishing Ventricular Transmural Gradients

Honourable Mention for a Basic Science Oral Presentation

  • Dr. Anne-Claire Duchez, Postdoctoral Fellow (Supervisor: Dr. Katey Rayner), UOHI
    Anti-inflammatory lipid mediator resolvin D1 decreases regulated cell death necroptosis in atherosclerosis

Award for the Best Basic Science Poster

  • Mr. Uzair Sayani, MSc Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Benjamin Rotstein), UOHI
    Automated synthesis and validation of [18F]mFBG for cardiac sympathetic denervation imaging

Honourable Mention for a Basic Science Poster

  • Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf, Postdoctoral Fellow (Supervisor: Dr. Peter Liu), UOHI
    DNA damage activates inflammation via the cGAS-STING pathway inducing cardiac remodeling and senescence

Polk Award for the Best Clinical Science Oral Presentation

  • Dr. Tina Zhu, Clinical Fellow (Supervisor: Dr. Thais Coutinho), UOHI
    Combining aortic size with measures of aortic stiffness and pulsatile hemodynamics enhances prediction of future thoracic aortic aneurysm expansion

Honourable Mention for a Clinical Science Oral Presentation

  • Dr. Kimberley Way, Postdoctoral Fellow (Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Reed), UOHI
    The effect of a single bout of aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics in adults with diabetes: a randomized controlled cross-over design study

Award for the Best Clinical Science Poster

  • Mr. Jason Zelt, MD-PhD Candidate (Supervisors: Dr. Lisa Mielniczuk), UOHI
    Assessing mortality risk in pulmonary arterial hypertension: from heart to kidney

Honourable Mention for a Clinical Science Poster

  • Mr. Adam Merlo, MD Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Diem Tran), UOHI
    Strategies to optimize post-operative atrial fibrillation (STOP AFib) reduces new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery

Event Highlights:

  • Keynote lecture by Milica Radisic, Professor and Canada Research Chair, Associate Chair of Research, and Principal Investigator of the Laboratory for Functional Tissue Engineering, University of Toronto
  • Oral presentations & moderated poster sessions
  • Ottawa Region Trainee of the Year Lecture & other trainee awards
  • Networking reception
  • Awards ceremony

Program Guide

Download the 2019 Program Guide:

2019 Program Guide (pdf)