Endowed Chairs & Fellowships

The Heart Institute offers a total of 12 Endowed Chairs to support our world-renowned physicians and scientists in their leadership, research, and educational activities. 

We are grateful to the donors for their support of these Endowed Chairs.

• Gordon F. Henderson Chair in Leadership
  Held by the President and CEO
  • Thierry Mesana, MD PhD
• Vered Chair in Cardiology 
  Held by the Chief of Cardiology
  • Rob Beanlands, MD 
• Michael Pitfield Chair in Cardiac Surgery
  Held by the Chief of Cardiac Surgery
  • Marc Ruel, MD
• Endowed Chair in Cardiac Surgery Research
  Held by an active cardiac surgeon who provides research and academic leadership in cardiac surgery
  • Marc Ruel, MD
• Endowed Chair in Cardiac Surgery Valve Research
  Held by an active cardiac surgeon conducting research to advance knowledge of cardiac valves
  • Thierry Mesana, MD PhD 
• Donald S. Beanlands Endowed Chair in Cardiology Education
  Held by an active cardiologist who provides leadership in cardiology education
  • Lyall Higginson, MD
• Endowed Chair in Electrophysiology Leadership
  Held by the Director of the Electrophysiology Program
  • David Birnie, MD
• Merck Frosst Canada Chair in Atherosclerosis Research
  Held by an Institute researcher leading translational research in atherosclerosis. These funds were established by Merck Frosst in recognition of Drs. Ruth McPherson, Ross Milne, and Yves Marcel, the founders of the Institute’s Lipoproteins and Atherosclerosis Research Group.
  • Ruth McPherson, MD PhD 
• Minto Chair in Interventional Cardiology Leadership
  Held by the Director of the Interventional Cardiology Program
  • Christopher Glover, MD
• Pfizer Chair in Hypertension Research
  Held by a researcher leading hypertension research
  • Frans Leenen, MD PhD 
• Saul and Edna Goldfarb Chair in Cardiac Imaging
  Held by an active clinician leading cardiac imaging research
  • Benjamin Chow, MD
• Women’s Heart Health Research Chair (term Chair)
  Held by a researcher leading women’s heart health research 
  • To be announced

2019-20 Endowed Fellowships and Scholarships

STRATEGIC RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

The Strategic Research Fellowship provides stipend for a two-year term to a postdoctoral or clinical fellow working in an area of research that aligns with the current Research Strategic Plan. 

• Lara Gharibeh, PhD, Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow

  Supervisor: Juan Grau, MD

  Project title: Development of biomarker profile for aortic sclerosis and stenosis: A pilot study 

• Carley O’Neill, PhD, Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow

             Supervisor: Jennifer Reed, PhD

             Project title: Determining the feasibility of High Intensity Interval Training in cardiac rehabilitation among women with cardiovascular disease: Answering the call for research

DIVISION OF CARDIOLOGY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS 

These Fellowships provide stipends for up to two years to postdoctoral or clinical fellows conducting research in the Division of Cardiology.

Ernest and Margaret Ford Fellowship

• Alice Blet, MD PhD, Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow                                                         

  Supervisors: Peter Liu, MD and Louise Sun, MD

  Project title: Trans-Atlantic biomarker collaboratory for acute heart failure/shock prognosis and therapy 

Vered-Beanlands Research Fellowship

• Trevor Simard, MD, Fellow in Interventional Cardiology

  Supervisor: Benjamin Hibbert, MD, PhD

  Project title: Adenosine is a mediator of vascular healing after coronary intervention

Drs. Hyman & Sylvia (van Straten) Kaufman and Dr. Kwan-Leung Chan Fellowship in Cardiac Imaging

• Christina Wiefels, MD, Fellow in Cardiac Imaging                                                          

  Supervisor: Rob Beanlands, MD

  Project title: Alternative imaging modalities in ischemic heart failure

LAWRENCE SOLOWAY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN CARDIAC SURGERY

The Lawrence Soloway Fellowship provides stipend for up to two years to a postdoctoral or clinical fellow conducting research in the Division of Cardiac Surgery.

• Veronika Sedlakova, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

  Supervisors: Erik Suuronen, PhD and Emilio Alarcon, PhD

  Project title: Elucidating mechanisms underlying recombinant human collagen therapy for myocardial infarction

JAN & IAN CRAIG RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN PREVENTION & REHABILITATION

The Jan and Ian Craig Fellowship provides stipend for up to two years to a postdoctoral or clinical fellow conducting research in the Division of Prevention and Rehabilitation. This year, the Fellowship is being shared by two recipients.

• Tasuku Terada, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

  Supervisor: Jennifer Reed, PhD

  Project title: Examining the roles of high-intensity interval training on glucose variability and atrial fibrillation symptomatology: A novel approach for patients with atrial fibrillation and diabetes? 

• Karen Bouchard, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

  Supervisor: Heather Tulloch, PhD

  Project title: Caring for Caregivers: The impact of a relationship-education program on cardiac caregivers’ wellbeing

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA CARDIAC ENDOWMENT FUND AT THE HEART INSTITUTE

These awards provide stipends for a two-year term to postdoctoral fellow(s) and up to a two-year term for graduate student(s) based at the Heart Institute and registered with the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine.

• Adil Rasheed, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

  Supervisor: Katey Rayner, PhD

  Project title: Uncovering the role of the Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain-like Protein (MLKL) in restricting the contributions of splenic hematopoiesis to atherosclerosis

• Yena Oh, MSc, PhD candidate

  Supervisor: Han Kim, PhD

  Project title: Regulatory functions of Irx3 in postnatal ventricular conduction system development

• Jerry Wang, BSc, MSc candidate

  Supervisors: Wenbin Liang, MD, PhD and Rob Beanlands, MD

  Project title: Role of Wnt signaling in cardiac arrhythmias