Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Early Career Committee Members


Chair

Sarah Schumacher, PhD

Sarah M. Schumacher, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute

Chair Elect

  David Y. Barefield, PhD

David Y. Barefield, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cell & Molecular Physiology Stritch School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago
X handle: @barefieldd

Senior Advisor

Timothy KcKinsey

Timothy McKinsey, PhD

Professor, Medicine-Cardiology
Director, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Members

Ankit Garg Headshot

Ankit Garg, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine/Cardiology
Johns Hopkins University

Shanna Hamilton Headshot

Shanna Hamilton, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
University of Arizona
X handle: S_HamiltonLab

Ioannis Karakikes, PhD

Ioannis Karakikes, PhD

Assistant Professor (Research), Cardiothoracic Surgery
Member, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University

Chi Fung Lee, PhD

Chi Fung Lee, PhD

Assistant Member, Cardiovascular Biology Research Program
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
X handle: @ChiFungLeePhD

Cat Makarewich, PhD

Cat Makarewich, PhD

Assistant Professor, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
X handle: @CatMak23

Diana Martinez, PhD

Diana Martinez, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
X handle: @5FootScientist

Jessica Pfleger

Jessica Pfleger, PhD

Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
Virginia Tech Carilion
X handle: @Jess4genes

Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin

Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology
University of Manitoba
The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences
St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre
X handle: @RabinovichInna

Priscilla Sato, PhD, FAHA

Priscila Sato, PhD, FAHA

Associate Professor
Heersink School of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham
X handle: @PSatolab

Jun Wang, PhD

Jun Wang, PhD, FAHA

Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
McGovern Medical School
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Yassine Sassi Headshot

Yassine Sassi, PhD

Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
Virginia Tech Carilion

Mingtao Zhao, PhD

Mingtao Zhao, PhD, FAHA

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Nationwide Children’s Hospital / The Ohio State University
X handle: @mingtao_zhao

Postdoctoral Liaisons

Arianne Caudal

Arianne Caudal, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow
Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University
X handle: @arianneinthelab

Peiheng Gan

Peiheng Gan, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Molecular Biology
UT Southwestern Medical Center
X handle: @peihengg_heart

Eric Aien Pereira da Silva

Eric Aian Pereira da Silva, PhD

Postdoctoral Research Scholar
Department of Pharmacology
University of California, Davis
X handle: @eric_psilva

Sasha Smolgovsky

Sasha Smolgovsky, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Immunology
Tufts University
X handle: @SashaSmolgovsky

Immediate Past Chair

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Cardiovascular Research Center
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
X Handle: @SusmitaSahooPhD

Past BCVS Early Career Committees

2023–2024 Committee
Kevin M. Alexander, PhD

Kevin M. Alexander, MD

Assistant Professor
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University
X handle: @KMAlexanderMD

Mohammad Al-Khalaf, PhD

Mohammad Al-Khalaf, PhD

Research Associate
Cardiac Function Laboratory
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
X handle: @MoAlKhalafPhD

  David Y. Barefield, PhD

David Y. Barefield, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cell & Molecular Physiology Stritch School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago
X handle: @barefieldd

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Professor of Regenerative Medicine
UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University
X handle: @KeChengLab

Ronglih Liao, PhD, FAHA

Ronglih Liao, PhD, FAHA

Co-Director, Professor of Medicine
Nola Leishman Professor II in Cardiovascular Diseases
X handle: @RonglihL

Patricia K. Nguyen, MD

Patricia K. Nguyen, MD

Assistant Professor, Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Stanford University

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, and, by courtesy, Pediatrics
Dept. of Medicine, Div. of Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University School of Medicine
X Handle: @SeanM_Wu

2020–2022 Committee

Chair

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, and, by courtesy, Pediatrics
Dept. of Medicine, Div. of Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University School of Medicine
X Handle: @SeanM_Wu

Chair Elect

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Cardiovascular Research Center
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
X Handle: @SusmitaSahooPhD

Members

Federica Accornero, PhD

Federica Accornero, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology
Ohio State University

Kevin M. Alexander, PhD

Kevin M. Alexander, MD

Assistant Professor
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University
X handle: @KMAlexanderMD

  David Y. Barefield, PhD

David Y. Barefield, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cell & Molecular Physiology Stritch School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago
X handle: @barefieldd

Jean C. Bopassa, MD, PhD, FAHA

Jean C. Bopassa, MD, PhD, FAHA

Associate Professor
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Professor of Regenerative Medicine
UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University
X handle: @KeChengLab

Dominic Del Re, PhD

Dominic Del Re, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine
Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School

Chen Gao, PhD

Chen Gao, PhD

Assistant Researcher
Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology
University of California, Los Angeles

Rebecca Levit, MD

Rebecca Levit, MD

Assistant Professor
Emory University
X handle: @LevitLab

Ronglih Liao, PhD, FAHA

Ronglih Liao, PhD, FAHA

Co-Director, Professor of Medicine
Nola Leishman Professor II in Cardiovascular Diseases
X handle: @RonglihL

Patricia K. Nguyen, MD

Patricia K. Nguyen, MD

Assistant Professor, Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Stanford University

Sarah Schumacher, PhD

Sarah M. Schumacher, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute

Michael Tranter, PhD

Michael Tranter, PhD

Assistant Professor
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati

Early Career Social Media Liaison

Mohammad Al-Khalaf, PhD

Mohammad Al-Khalaf, PhD

Research Associate
Cardiac Function Laboratory
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
X handle: @MoAlKhalafPhD

Immediate Past Chair

Nicole Purcell, PhD

Nicole H. Purcell, PhD

Associate Professor
Cardiovascular Division
Huntington Medical Research Institutes
Clinical Associate Professor (Adjunct)
Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
X handle: @nhpetunia

2019–2020 Committee

Chair

Nicole Purcell, PhD

Nicole H. Purcell, PhD

Associate Professor
Cardiovascular Division
Huntington Medical Research Institutes
Clinical Associate Professor (Adjunct)
Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
X handle: @nhpetunia

Chair Elect

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, and, by courtesy, Pediatrics
Dept. of Medicine, Div. of Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford University School of Medicine
X Handle: @SeanM_Wu

Members

Jean C. Bopassa, MD, PhD, FAHA

Jean C. Bopassa, MD, PhD, FAHA

Associate Professor
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Ke Cheng, PhD, FAHA

Professor of Regenerative Medicine
UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University
X handle: @KeChengLab

Dominic Del Re, PhD

Dominic Del Re, PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine
Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School

Chen Gao, PhD

Chen Gao, PhD

Assistant Researcher
Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology
University of California, Los Angeles

Nirmala Hariharan, PhD

Nirmala Hariharan, PhD

Assistant Adjunct Professor
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine University of California, Davis

Litsa Kranias, PhD, FAHA

Evangelia “Litsa” Kranias, PhD, FAHA

Hanna Professor and Director Cardiovascular Biology
Distinguished University Professor
Co-Director, Cardiovascular Center of Excellence
Department of Pharmacology & Cell Biophysics
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Rebecca Levit, MD

Rebecca Levit, MD

Assistant Professor
Emory University
X handle: @LevitLab

Glenn C. Rowe, PhD

Glenn C. Rowe, PhD

Assistant Professor in Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Disease
The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Susmita Sahoo, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Cardiovascular Research Center
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
X Handle: @SusmitaSahooPhD

Sarah Schumacher, PhD

Sarah M. Schumacher, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute

Michael Tranter, PhD

Michael Tranter, PhD

Assistant Professor
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati

Jop Van Berlo, MD

Jop Van Berlo, MD

Assistant Professor
Lillehei Endowed Scholar
Lillehei Heart Institute
Division of Cardiology
University of Minnesota

Immediate Past Chair

Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, MBA, FAHA

Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, MBA, FAHA

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
University of Cincinnati

Interested in becoming Early Career Committee Member?

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