Alumni News and Events

With funding from the Association's Career Development Award, Dr. Nirmal Verma has been able to advance research to show that protective molecules called soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors (sEHI) reduce amylin buildup and preserve brain vessel integrity, improving cognitive and motor function. In diabetes, the amylin hormone misfolds and deposits in brain blood vessels, damaging the blood-brain barriers that keep the brain healthy. This leads to microhemorrhages, white matter damage, and neurological deficits. Dr Verma shared, "Thanks to this Award, I’ve been able to advance this work and build connections that continue to shape my career."

 

Dr. Burboa began her postdoc in 2020 during the COVID pandemic—a challenging start in a new country—but her lifelong love of science kept her motivated. With the support of her PI, Mauricio A. Lillo, who is also a Researchers at Heart alumnus, Pia earned a Heart Association Research Supplement in April 2023, launching a surge of productivity. Since then, she has published seven papers, including her dream of publishing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and delivered six conference talks, earning the Best Communication Award at the 2023 Pan-American Physiological Sciences meeting.