About
The 37th Annual Ottawa Cardiovascular Research Day celebrated the region’s research excellence through moderated oral presentations and poster sessions. It is an excellent venue for trainees to showcase their outstanding projects and network with faculty and colleagues.
Keynote Speaker
We were honoured to host Leo Anthony Celi, MD, MPH, MSc as our keynote speaker. A global leader in health informatics, Dr. Celi shared his impactful work on improving patient outcomes through accessible, data-driven platforms.
Leo Anthony Celi, MD, MPH, MSc
Clinical Research Director
Principal Research Scientist
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Associate Professor (Part time)
Harvard Medical School
Associate Program Director
Department of Medicine
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Keynote address
Program
Research Day 2025 program (PDF)
Institute Awards
Ottawa Cardiovascular Region Trainee of the Year
Javad Heshmati, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
(Supervisor: Hassan Mir, MD)
This year’s recipient, Dr. Javad Heshmati, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, is celebrated for his impactful work in smoking and vaping cessation. Since joining Dr. Hassan Mir’s lab in January 2024, Dr. Heshmati has published over 10 peer-reviewed articles, led a landmark meta-analysis in BMJ Tobacco Control, and co-authored national clinical guidelines. His research has shaped clinical practices, earned him the CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship, and demonstrated his leadership through mentorship and expanding research collaborations. Read more
Capital BioVentures Award for Innovation
The most “innovative” pitch is awarded to an individual whose idea or presentation demonstrates exceptional originality, creativity, and potential impact.
Elmira Safaie Qamsari, PhD Candidate
(Supervisor: Duncan Stewart, MD)
Repurposing a Game-changing Cancer Immunotherapy to Treat a Cancer-like Lung Vascular Disease
Capital BioVentures Award for Innovation - Honourable Mention
Priya Muniyandi, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
(Supervisor: Peter Liu, MD)
Brain-Heart Matrix – Revolutionizing Drug Testing and Healthcare
EDI in Research - Trainee Award
Sumali Mehta, PhD Candidate
(Supervisors: Jodi Edwards, PhD and David Birnie, MD)
Ms. Mehta is recognized for her exceptional commitment to advancing equity in her community and globally through participatory research. Co-supervised by Jodi Edwards, PhD and David Birnie, MD Ms. Mehta is currently addressing the critical paucity of data on the epidemiology of cardiac arrhythmias and outcomes in Nunavut’s Inuit communities. Read more
Presentation Prizes
Dr. Yves Marcel Award for the Best Basic Science Oral Presentation
Cameron Stotts, PhD Candidate
(Supervisor: Katey Rayner, PhD)
Pre-existing Atherosclerosis Exacerbates Short- and Long-term Inflammatory Burden in Pneumonia
Honourable Mention for Basic Science Oral Presentation
Dominique Boucher, MD/PhD Candidate
(Supervisor: Mireille Ouimet, PhD)
Postoperative Inflammation Impairs Reverse Cholesterol Transport, Potentiates Foam Cell Formation, and Fuels Plaque Necrosis
Howard & Doris Polk Award for the Best Clinical Science / Bio-behavioural & Population Health Oral Presentation
Matheus Reis Hausen, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
(Supervisor: Jennifer Reed, PhD)
The Long-term Effects of High-intensity Interval Training and Moderate-to-vigorous Intensity Continuous Training on Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Patients with Permanent or Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Honourable Mention for Clinical Science/Bio-bheavioural & Population Health Oral Presentation
Humza Iqbal, BSc Candidate
(Supervisor: Christopher Sun, PhD)
Improving ECG Arrhythmia Detection with Pretrained Deep Learning Models
The Pfizer Canada Inc. Best Basic Science Poster
Ali Abdalbari, MSc Candidate
(Supervisor: Erin Mulvihill, PhD)
Cleaved Communications: Exploring the Immune-Adipose Crosstalk in Obesity-Driven Atherosclerosis
Honourable Mentions for Basic Science Poster
Victoria Lorant, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
(Supervisors: Katey Rayner, PhD and Mireille Ouimet, PhD)
Aged Macrophages Induce Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Dysfunction, Impairing Atherosclerosis Regression
Chanele Polenz, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
(Supervisor: Katey Rayner, PhD)
Investigating the Relationship Between Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Depression/Anxiety
Pfizer Canada Best Clinical Science / Bio-behavioural & Population Health Science Poster
Rene Boudreau, MD, Cardiology Resident
(Supervisor: Michel Le May, MD)
Comparing Outcomes of Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Requiring Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting during Index Hospitalization
Honourable Mentions for Clinical Science / Bio-behavioural & Population Health Science Poster
Dylan Malenfant, PhD Candidate
(Supervisor: Glenn Wells, PhD)
Nuclear Image Denoising for AI-based Respiratory Motion Estimation in Cardiac SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Bethlehem Mengesha, MD, Clinical Fellow
(Supervisor: Benjamin Chow, MD)
Transient Ischemic Dilatation on Dobutamine Stress Rubidium-82 PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging