Programming – BCVS Scientific Sessions 2025

Pioneering Cardiovascular Science: Bridging Discovery and Practice
July 23–26, 2025
Marriott Baltimore Waterfront | Baltimore, Maryland

Programming for 2025

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

#BCVS25 Schedule-at-a-Glance

All times Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (UTC -4) 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 Stacey E. Rosen, MD, FAHA, Northwell Katz Institute for Women’s Health 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 Sarcomere Structure Stefan Raunser, 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 Sarcomere Mechanisms Underlying Genetic Cardiomyopathy Jil Tardiff, 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 Taben Hale, PhD 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.	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 3:35-3:55 pm How Mitochondrial Metabolite Flux is Adjusted to Proliferative Demand and Cell Function Xi Fang, PhD, University of California San Diego 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

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