Programming – BCVS Scientific Sessions 2025

Programming for 2025

Browse our preliminary schedule below to see the exciting sessions we're planning for #BCVS25.

#BCVS25 Schedule-at-a-Glance

Tuesday, July 22
Tuesday, July 22 Activities
Time
Activity
1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Asian Cardiovascular Symposium
Separate registration required – visit the ACRE website(link opens in new window).
Wednesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 23 Activities
Time Activity
7:00 a.m.

Registration and Exhibits

7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Inside the AHA's Research Enterprise: Grant Funding and Other Opportunities
Glenn Dillon, PhD, American Heart Association

8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Break/Exhibits
9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Early Career Pre-Conference: Opening Welcome
Sarah Schumacher Bass, PhD, Cleveland Clinic

9:15a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Early Career Pre-Conference Session 1: Next Best Thing

10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Break and Exhibits
10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Early Career Pre-Conference Session 2: Next Best Thing

 

11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Early Career Keynote: Tales from an Inveterate Problem Solver: Sniffing out Key Questions and Finding Surprising Answers
David Kass, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Break/Exhibits
1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Opening Session

Introduction/Welcome
Farah Sheikh, PhD, University of California San Diego

AHA Presidential Remarks 

BCVS Council Chair Remarks
Maria Kontaridis, PhD, Masonic Medical Research Institute
1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Session 1: Cardiac Sarcomeres and Myofilaments

Moderators:
Sharlene Day, MD, University of Pennsylvania
KC Woulfe, PhD, University of Colorado

1:30-1:50
Novel Insights into Carcomere Structure
Stefan Raunsef, PhD, Max Plank Institute

1:50-2:10
Functional Modulation of the Thick Filament in Disease
Michael Greenberg, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis 2:10-2:30

Integrative Scaromere Mechanisms Underlying Genetic Cardiomyopathy
Jil Tardif, PhD, University of Arizona

2:30-2:45
Abstract Slot

2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Break/Exhibits
3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Session 2: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy

Moderators:
Aarti Asnani, MD, Harvard University
Thomas Gillette, PhD, UT Southwestern

3:15-3:35
Inflammation and Adverse Remodeling in Heart Failure
Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, University of Virginia

3:35-3:55
Molecular Mechanisms in Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Helen Collins, PhD, University of Louisville 

3:55-4:15
Novel Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches in Heart Failure
Saumya Das, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital

4:15-4:30
Abstract slot

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Poster Session and Reception
Thursday, July 24
Thursday, July 24 Activities
Time Activity
7:00 a.m. Registration and Exhibits
6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Women in Science Breakfast
Ticket Required

8:00a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Session 3: Cardiac Growth, Hypertrophy and and Remodeling

Moderators: 
Bradley McConnell, PhD, University of Houston
Michaela Patterson, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin

Speakers:

8:00-8:20
Reactivation of Pro-regenerative Macrophage IL-13 Signaling to Promote Cariac Functional Recovery in Adults
Caitlin O'Meara, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin

8:20-8:40
Secondary Structures that Regulate mRNA Translation Provide Insights for ASO-mediated Modulation of Cardiac Hypertrophy
Peng Yao, PhD, University of Rochester
            
8:40-9:00
Programming the Heart to a Regenerative State
Mauro Giacca, MD, PhD, King's College of London

9:00-9:15
Abstract Slot

9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Break/Exhibits
9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Session 4: What's New in Cardiovascular Fibrosis

Moderators:
Onur Kanisicak, PhD, The Ohio State University
Michelle Tallquist, PhD, University of Hawaii, USA

Speakers:

9:45-10:05
ECM Regulation in the Pressure Overloaded and Unloaded Heart
Amy Bradshaw, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina, USA

10:05-10:25
Transcriptomic Profiling of Fibroblasts in Hypertensive Heart
Alexander Pinto, PhD, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

10:25-10:45
Chromatin Remodeling as a Driver of Fibroblast Activation
Michael Alexanian, PhD, Gladstone Institute, USA

10:45-11:00
Abstract Slot

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Session 5: BCVS 2025 Keynote Lecture

Moderators:
Farah Sheikh, PhD, University of California San Diego
Jennifer Davis, PhD, University of Washington

Keynote Presentation: Transcriptional Regulation of Heart Development - Now in 3D!
Benoit Bruneau, PhD, Gladstone Institute, USA
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Early Career Luncheon
or 
Lunch on Your Own
or
Lunch with Legends
(ticketed event)

1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Session 6: Cardiovascular Development, Gene Regulation and Congenital Heart Disease

Moderators:
Deqiang Li, MD, PhD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Nicole Dubois, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Speakers:

1:30-1:50
Cell-extracellular Matrix Interactions in Cardiovascular Development and Disease
Sophie Astrof, PhD, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences

1:50-2:10
Unraveling the Etiology of Congenital Heart Defects: Insights from Human Genetics and Mouse Models
Vidu Garg, MD, PhD, Nationwide Children's Hospital

2:10-2:30
Molecular Mechanism of Congenital Valve Disease
Joy Lincoln, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin

2:30-2:45
Abstract Slot

2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Break/Exhibits
3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Session 7 - Cardiac Repair, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering

Moderators:
Kareen Coulombe, PhD, Brown University
Nathan Sniadecki, PhD, University of Washington

Speakers:

3:15-3:35
Regenerating the Human Heart
Wolfram Zimmerman, MD, PhD, University of Goettingen, Germany

3:35-3:55 
Biomaterials for Cardiac Repair
Ke Cheng, PhD, Columbia University, USA

3:55-4:15 
Organ-on-a-chip models of cardiovascular diseases
Milica Radisic, PhD, University of Toronto, Canada

4:15-4:30
Abstract slot

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Poster Session and Reception
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Early Career Investigator Social
Friday, July 25
Friday, July 25 Activities
Time Activity
7:00 a.m. Registration and Exhibits
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast
7:00 a.m.to 7:30 a.m. Unopposed Time
8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Session 8: Emerging Cardiovascular Translational Technologies

Moderators:
James Chong, PhD, University of Sydney, Australia
Susmita Sahoo, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,

Speakers:

8:00-8:20 am
Cellular and Engineered Organoids for Cardiovascular Models
Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, Stanford University

8:20-8:40 am
Transplantation of a genetically modified porcine heart into a live human
Muhammad Mohiuddin, MD, University of Maryland

8:40-9:00 am
Gene editing to prevent ventricular arrhythmias associated with cardiomyocyte cell therapy
Chuck E. Murry, MD, PhD, University of Southern California

9:00-9:15 am
Abstract Slot

9:15 to 9:45 a.m. Break/Exhibits
9:45 to 11:00 a.m.

Session 9 – Unlocking New Mechanisms in Cardiac Arrhythmia

Moderators:
Livia Houl, PhD, University of Western Australia, Australia
Hector Valdivia, PhD, University of Wisconsin

9:45-10:05 am
Stressing over Kinases in Arrhythmias
Xun Ai, MD, The Ohio State University, USA

10:05-10:25 am
Arrhythmogenic Substrate in Myocarditis
James Smyth, PhD, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech

10:25-10:45
IP3Receptor in Arrhythmias and Heart Failure
SR Wayne Chen, PhD, University of Calgary, Canada

10:45-11:00 am
Abstract Slot

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Session 10: Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award

Moderators:
TBD
TBD

11:00-11:15 am
Abstract presentation

11:15-11:30 am Abstract Presentation

11:30-11:45 am
Abstract Presentation

11:45 am -12:00 pm
Abstract Presentation

12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch on Your Own/Unopposed Time
1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Session 11- Cardio-Immunology: Inflammation, Immunity, and the Heart

Moderators:
Daniela Čiháková, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Pilar Alcaide, PhD, MS, Tufts University

1:30-1:50 pm
Leveraging Macrophage Biology to Immune-engineer the Heart
Slava Epelman, MD, PhD, University of Toronto, Canada

1:50-2:10 pm
Immune-Fibroblast Cross-talk in Heart Disease
Nadia Rosenthal, PhD, The Jackson Laboratory, USA

2:10-2:30 pm
New Therapeutic Approaches to Alleviate Inflammation and Promote Cardiac Repair
Sumanth Prabhu, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, USA

2:30-2:45 pm
Abstract Slot

2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Break/Exhibits
3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Session 12 – The Age of Metabolism

Moderators:
Andrew Gibb, PhD, University of Louisville
Rong Tian, MD, PhD, University of Washington

3:15-3:35 pm
Glutamine-serine Metabolism Control Pathologic Vascular Stiffness
Stephen Chan, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, USA

3:35-3:55 pm
How Mitochondrial Metabolite Flux is Adjusted to Proliferative Demand and Cell Function
Nora Kory, PhD, Harvard University

3:55-4:15 pm
How do SGLT2 Inhibitors Reduce Cardiovascular Events and Heart Failure?
Zolt Arany, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

4:15-4:30 pm
Abstract Slot

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Poster Session and Reception
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. BCVS Council Dinner
Saturday, July 26
Saturday, July 26 Activities
Time Activity
7:00 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast
7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Unopposed Time
8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Session 13 – Cardiac Cellular Signaling: Mechanisms and Cross talk

Moderators:
Loren Wold, PhD, The Ohio State University, USA
Priscilla Sato, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

Speakers:
8:00-8:20 am
Phosphatase influence on Cardiac Remodeling and Dysfunction
Kate Weeks, PhD, University of Melbourne, Australia

8:20-8:40 am
Circadian Clock and Cardiovascular Disease
Lilei Zhang, MD, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine

8:40-9:00 am
Directing Cardiac Growth through Local Control of Translation
Benjamin Prosser, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

9:00-9:15 am
Abstract Slot

9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Break
9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Session 14 – Pathophysiologic and Systemic Axes Beyond the Heart

Moderators:
Lorrie Kirshenbaum, PhD, University of Manitoba, Canada
Weijia Luo, PhD, Texas A&M University

Speakers:
9:45-10:05 am
Renal Denervation to Treat Heart Failure
Thomas Sharp, PhD, University of South Florida

10:05-10:25 am
Liver-heart Crosstalk Mediated by Coagulation Factor XI Protects Against Heart Failure
Aldons J. Lusis, PhD, University of California Los Angeles

10:25-10:45 am
Brain-Heart Cross talk in Alzheimer’s Disease
Federica del Monte, MD, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina

10:45-11:00 am
Abstract Slot

11:00 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. BCVS 2025 Closing Remarks

Target Audience

  • Basic cardiovascular scientists
  • Molecular/cellular biologists
  • Physiologists
  • Translational investigators
  • Clinical trialists
  • Practicing cardiologists
  • Cardiovascular nurses and pharmacists

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand new developments in cardiovascular pathophysiology and their implications for future therapeutics.
  2. Discuss emerging translational research in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease and its precursors.
  3. Recognize scope and implication of cardio-immunology for advancing future therapeutics.
  4. Describe areas for therapeutic development which attenuate the intracellular transmission of cellular disease and dysfunction.