Council on Hypertension Mid-Career Award for Research Excellence
Sponsored by the Council on Hypertension
Applications will open on April 1, 2026
To qualify for this award, you must meet the following deadlines:
- June 30, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline to have an active Professional Membership.
- July 3, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards System.
This program recognizes a mid-career investigator active in hypertension or cardiovascular research. Candidates include PhDs and/or MDs who are still within 5–20 years after their first faculty appointment, as of the award application date.
A winner will present a lecture at the Hypertension Scientific Sessions.
Award Recipients
- 2025 Gaetano Santulli, MD, PHD, FAHA
- 2024 Meena S. Madhur, MD, PhD, FAHA
- 2023 Cyndya A. Shibao, MD, MSCI, FAHA
- 2022 Justin L. Grobe, PhD, FAHA
- 2021 Jennifer Pluznick, PhD
- 2020 Adam C. Straub, PhD
- 2019 Daniela Carnevale, PhD, FAHA
- 2018 Jennifer C. Sullivan, PhD, FAHA
- 2017 Alexander Staruschenko, PhD, FAHA
- 2016 Alejandro Chade MD, FAHA
- 2015 Kamal Rahmouni, PhD, FAHA
- 2014 Iris Z. Jaffe, BA, MD, PhD
- 2013 Jens Titze, MD
Applicant/Nominee Eligibility
- Must be a member of the Council on Hypertension at the time of application. Join or renew today!
- Eligible candidates include PhDs and/or MDs who are still within 5–20 years after their first faculty appointment, as of the award application date.
- Previous awardees are not eligible to re-apply for the award in subsequent years.
- Past recipients of the Council on Hypertension Excellence Award in Hypertension Research (and all previous names of the award) are not eligible.
- Each recipient of council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award each year per scientific meeting.
- Notwithstanding the above, the Association’s Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to policy or positions or other potentially controversial issues.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by a panel of accomplished researchers, scientists, clinicians, and academicians, representing the breadth of basic cardiovascular sciences.
Contacting the judging panel, including but not limited to phone calls, emails, social media messages, or any other form of communication, before submitting your application or during the review process will result in disqualification.
Applications will be judged on the following:
- Adherence to eligibility criteria
- Completeness and quality of application materials
- The nominee’s background, accomplishments, and overall contributions to the field of hypertension
Timeline
- June 30, 2026 – Deadline to have an active Professional Membership.
- July 3, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards System.
- August 2026 – Nominators will be notified of their application status.
Required Documents
The following items must be submitted through the Council Awards Application System for consideration for this award:
- Curriculum vitae, including all publications (abstracts not necessary)
- One signed letter of nomination from the sponsor and one supporting letter outlining why the candidate is worthy of recognition. Letters should address:
- The candidate’s accomplishments in the field of hypertension.
- Volunteer activities with the American Heart Association (affiliate and/or national level)
- Teaching contributions
- Mentoring activities
Members of the Council on Hypertension Awards Committee are not eligible to apply, be nominated, or write support letters for applicants.
How to Apply/Submit a Nomination
Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.
A Professional Heart Daily (PHD) username and password are required to access the system. If you are creating a PHD profile for the first time, please register using your Professional Membership ID number.
Membership Requirement
Professional Membership with the American Heart Association and affiliation with the Council on Hypertension are required for all applicants. Please allow 3–5 days for processing—do not wait until the deadline to Join or Renew.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
- Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
- Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you log in to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards.
Note: The grant maker named “American Heart Association” in ProposalCentral refers to Research Awards and is a separate funder. Council Awards are listed under American Heart Association Council Awards. - Start Your Application:
- Select Create New Proposal.
- Filter by Grant Maker: Choose American Heart Association Council Awards.
- From the Programs list, select: Hypertension Scientific Sessions Mid-Career Achievement Awards and Lectures.
- Click the Apply Now button.
- Within the application, select the award: HTN Mid-Career Award for Research Excellence.
For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.
Prize
The winner will present a lecture during the Hypertension Scientific Sessions and will receive:
- Complimentary registration to Hypertension Scientific Sessions
- Two (2) tickets to the Hypertension Scientific Sessions Awards Banquet
- An engraved plaque
- $1,000 honorarium
- $1,000 travel stipend
Questions
- Council Awards Application System (ProposalCentral) Help Desk: [email protected]
- Council Awards: [email protected]
- Member Services: [email protected]
- Abstract Submitter Password/Login: [email protected]
- Abstract Submission: [email protected]
Hypertension Scientific Sessions
Hyatt Regency Crystal City | Arlington, Virginia