Research Volunteer Structure
Research Committee Quick Facts
Science and medicine volunteers establish and direct the American Heart Association's research policies and programs.
The Heart Association Research Committee includes research volunteers nominated by regional leadership and Association scientific councils.
The Heart Association Research Committee oversees and executes strategies to achieve 12 guiding Research Essential Elements.
American Heart Association Research Committee
Science and medicine volunteers establish and direct the American Heart Association's research policies and programs. In partnership with the volunteers, Association staff provide administrative and implementation support.
The American Heart Association Research Committee includes research volunteers nominated by regional leadership and scientific councils.
The Research Committee oversees and executes strategies to achieve the Research Essential Elements for the Association’s research enterprise, as approved by the Board of Directors and outlined below:
- Develop innovative research models that integrate the Association's research values and fund highly meritorious or “best” research
- Fund both investigator-initiated and strategically-focused research, including implementation research.
- Support all areas of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research, with a focus on overall health and well-being across the lifespan that drives to the Association’s 2028 goal and overall mission.
- Identify key questions that, if answered, could provide extraordinary impact in science and toward mission.
- Provide opportunities to participate for a comprehensive group of investigators as well as representative patient populations.
- Provide programs that support the pursuit of the research in question and also facilitate the expansion of investigator skills.
- Focus on funding outstanding individuals, not just projects.
- Clearly define and report research and translationally-oriented outcomes.
- Ensure that best practices are used for all governance and operational practice.
- Ensure that all researchers, donors, and other volunteers are involved as appropriate in research activities.
- Fund research that could provide a return on investment to be funneled back to fund additional future research.
- Expand collaboration to leverage research dollars and outcomes.
The committee may establish one or more subcommittees, task forces, and/or working groups to operate under the guidance of the Research Committee to address specific issues using a time-limited approach.
2026-2027 Research Committee Members
Chairperson
Joseph Woo, MD, FACS, FACC, FAHA
Norman E. Shumway Professor and Chair, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Professor, by courtesy, Department of Bioengineering
Stanford University
Olujimi Ajijola, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine (Cardiology-Cardiac Electrophysiology)
Faculty, Department of Bioengineering
Co-Director, UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Pilar Alcaide, MS, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Vice-Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Director, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center
Director, COVID-19 Biobank and Library at Tulane (COBALT)
Professor and Vice Chair of Research and Academic Affairs, Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology
Vada Odom Reynolds Chair in Stroke Research
Tulane University School of Medicine
Jane Grande-Allen, PhD
Isabel C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering
Rice University
Steven Houser, PhD, FAHA
Professor Emeritus, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences
Aging + Cardiovascular Discovery Center
Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Walter J. Koroshetz, MD
Jane A. Leopold, MD FAHA, FACC, FSCAI
Director, Women’s Interventional Cardiology Health Initiative
Director, Cardiovascular Research Core
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Associate Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA
Professor of Medicine
Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
Kathleen T. Linta
Caregiver and Advocate
Audrey C. Marshall, MD, MPH
Faculty Member and Physician Director of Policy and Government Relations
Harvard Medical School
Founding Dean and Professor, University of Texas San Antonio - School of Public Health
Frank Harrison, MD, PhD, Distinguished Chair in Public Health
Professor, Departments of Medicine and Population Health Sciences, Long School of Medicine
University of Texas San Antonio – School of Public Health
Gissette Reyes-Soffer, MD, FAHA
Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine and Nutrition
Columbia University Medical Center
ASPIRE! Founding Member
Will Richardson, PhD, FAHA
Bates Endowed Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
University of Arkansas
William H. Roach, Jr., MS, JD
Retired Health Lawyer
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Past AHA National Board Chairman
Frank Scholl, MD, FACS, FACC
Chief, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Heart Institute
Chief of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Surgical Director of Heart Transplantation
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital
Heather M. Snyder, PhD
Vice President, Medical & Scientific Relations
Alzheimer’s Association
Herman A. Taylor, Jr., MD, MPH
Endowed Professor and Director
Cardiovascular Research Institute
Morehouse School of Medicine
Eric J. Velazquez, MD
Robert W. Berliner Professor of Medicine
Chief, Cardiovascular Medicine | Yale School of Medicine
Physician-in-Chief, Heart and Vascular Center | Yale New Haven Health
Yale School of Medicine
Gina S. Wei, MD, MPH
Acting Director, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
Staff Support:
Gordon F. Tomaselli, MD
National Executive Vice President, Research & Grants Administration
American Heart Association
Jan. 1, Jan. 19, March 27, May 25, July 3 & 6,
Sept.7, Nov. 26 & 27, Dec. 21-25
2026 Altum/ProposalCentral holidays:
Jan. 1, Jan. 19, Feb. 16, May 25, June 19, July 3,
Sept. 7, Oct. 12, Nov. 26 & 27, Dec. 28-Jan 1