Recap from the 13th Annual CVRI Symposium – 2026
We were honored to host two keynote speakers, Dr. James F. Martin, M.D., Ph.D. from BCM, and Dr. Alfred L. George, Jr., M.D. from Northwestern University.
Dr. Martin is the Vivian L. Smith Chair in Regenerative Medicine in the BCM Department of Integrative Physiology and the Director of the Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory at BCM. He has earned international recognition for his contributions to development, disease, and regeneration. His research includes landmark studies on the Hippo signaling pathway’s role in cardiac regeneration and heart failure. Dr. Martin also aims to translate his findings into treatments: he is a founder of Medley Therapeutics, which has launched clinical trials investigating gene therapy for cardiomyocyte renewal after a myocardial infarction.
Dr. George is the A.N. Richards Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Widely recognized as a pioneer in research on the genetics and pathogenesis of channelopathies, he has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field. Dr. George’s work has tied hundreds of ion channel mutations to functional consequences that affect tissue such as the heart, muscle and brain, which manifest as conditions that include cardiac arrhythmias, abnormal muscle contraction, epilepsy, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
he symposium also displayed over 70 poster presentations by research trainees and junior faculty. These exciting oral and poster presentations provided an important platform for researchers at all stages of their career to share their work, and showcased the remarkable TMC environment for cardiovascular research and medicine.
13th Annual CVRI Symposium Awardees
Dr. Mark L. Entman Awards for Excellence in Cardiovascular Education
- Teaching Award
Mirza Umair Khalid, M.D. - Service Award
David Durgan, Ph.D.
Best Posters
Student Category (Non-Graduate) Category:
- Nathan Giang
Mentor: James Martin, M.D., Ph.D.
Poster title: “Notch Inhibition with IMR-1 Improves Cardiac Regenerative Potential”
Student Category (Graduate) Category Winner:
- Ta’Aliyah Jones
Mentor: Michael Bround, Ph.D.
Poster title: “LETM1 Deficiency in Heart is Lethal Due to Reduced Mitochondrial Ca2+ Efflux”
Post-Doctoral Research Trainee Category Winner:
- Lin Liu, M.D., Ph.D.
Mentor: James Martin, M.D., Ph.D.
Poster title: “YAP Creates a Distinct Metabolic State to Regenerate the Heart”
Junior Faculty Category Winner:
- Nitesh Katta, Ph.D.
Mentor: Thomas Milner, Ph.D.
Poster title: “Burst Wave Laser Lithotripsy of Calcified Heart Valves”
Clinical Resident/Fellow Category Winner:
- Alexandra Dennee, M.D.
Mentor: Tam Doan, M.D.
Poster title: “Midwall Late Gadolinium Enhancement Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Pediatric Myocarditis”
Clinical Outcomes/Research Category Winner:
- Shelby Walcott, M.D.
Mentor: Shaine Morris, M.D., MPH
Poster title: “Frequency and Diagnostic Yield of Genetic Testing in Patients with Ebstein Anomaly”
Recap from the 12th Annual CVRI Symposium – 2025
We were honored to host Patrick Ellinor, M.D., Ph.D., as our distinguished keynote speaker. Dr. Ellinor is the Executive Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Mass General Brigham, as well as Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Demoulas Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias at Massachusetts General Hospital, Institute Member and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Initiative at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Acting Chief of Cardiology and Co-Director of the MGH Corrigan-Minehan Heart Center.
Additionally, the symposium featured ten invited speakers from the Texas Medical Center who covered a wide spectrum of topics addressing the CVRI’s pivotal themes such as congenital developmental heart disease, cardiovascular genetics, arrhythmias and channelopathies, heart failure and cardiomyopathy, adult and pediatric heart transplant, and aging. In addition, two faculty received the Dr. Mark L. Entman Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Education.
The symposium featured over 70 poster presentations by basic science and clinical trainees, as well as junior faculty, providing an important platform for emerging researchers to share their innovative work. The CVRI recognized excellence through the “Best Poster Awards,” honoring outstanding contributions in both basic science and clinical research. These awards were announced in categories by Dr. Lilei Zhang, Chair of the Symposium Program Committee.
12th Annual CVRI Symposium Awardees
Dr. Mark L. Entman Awards for Excellence in Cardiovascular Education
- Teaching Award
Christopher Walkey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology - Service Award
Xinchun Pi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research
Best Posters
Student Category (Non-Graduate) Category:
- Joshua A. Keefe, Ph.D.
Mentor: Xander Wehrens, M.D., Ph.D.
Poster title: “Atrial Fibroblast-Derived Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Promotes Atrial Macrophage Accumulation in Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation”
Student Category (Graduate) Category Winner:
- Dexter Robichaux
Mentor: Jason Karch, Ph.D.
Poster title: “ATAD3 is an Essential Component of them Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore”
Postdoctoral Research Trainee Winner:
- Jose Alberto Navarro-Garcia, Ph.D.
Mentor: Xander Wehrens, M.D., Ph.D.
Poster title: “Oxidized LDL and LOX-1 Mediate Atrial Fibrillation Development in Chronic Kidney Disease”
Junior Faculty Category Winner:
- Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Ph.D.
Poster title: “Pathogenic Variants in ACTA2 that Activate Heat Shock Factor 1 Signaling and Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Smooth Muscle Cells Predispose to Premature Atherosclerosis”
Clinical Outcomes/Research Category Winner:
- Sai Prasada Rao Manikonda
Mentor: Nandan Kumar Mondal, Ph.D.
Poster title: “Predicting Acute Ischemic Stroke in Heart Failure Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices: The Role of Elevated Plasma Homocysteine and High Mobility Group Box 1 Proteins”
Clinical Resident/Fellow Category Winner:
- Co-first authors: Amrit Kannan M.D., and Meredith
Rae, M.D.
Mentor: Tam Doan, M.D. and Eyal Muscal, M.D.
Poster title: “The Added Value of Cardiac MRI in Pediatric Rheumatologic Disorders”
Recap from the 11th Annual CVRI Symposium – 2024
Our distinguished keynote lecturer, Dr. Andrew R. Marks, M.D., Chair and Professor at Columbia University, delivered an outstanding lecture titled "Leaky Ryanodine Receptors Provide Clues for Treating Disorders of Heart, Muscle, and Brain." Dr. Marks' insights set the stage for insightful discussions and collaborations throughout the symposium.
Additionally, the symposium featured nine invited speakers from the Texas Medical Center who covered a wide spectrum of topics addressing the CVRI’s pivotal themes such as Arrhythmias and Channelopathies, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy, Aortopathy and Valvular Heart Disease, Cardiac Regeneration and Stem Cells, and Congenital Developmental Heart Disease. In addition, two faculty received the Dr. Mark L. Entman Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Education.
11th Annual CVRI Symposium Awardees
Dr. Mark L. Entman Awards for Excellence in Cardiovascular Education
- Teaching Award
Christopher Ward, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology - Service Award
William Lagor, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology
Best Poster Awards
Students:
- Jernie Rideb
Mentor: Lilei Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine - Molecular and Human Genetics
Title: “Unraveling the Behavioral Phenotype of Tango2 Deficiency: Lessons from Transgenic Mice and Vitamin B Deficiency” - Maria Jose Arredondo, M.D.
Mentor: Christina Miyake, M.D.
Texas Children’s Hospital - Pediatrics - Cardiology
Title: “Nutritional Vitamin Supplemental is An Alternative Antiarrhythmic Approach to Prevent and Treat Lethal Tango2 Deficiency Disorder Related Ventricular Arrhythmias During Inpatient Admission”
Postdoctoral Research Trainee Category Winners:
- Fansen Meng, Ph.D.
Mentor: James Martin, M.D., Ph.D.
Texas Heart Institute - Gene Editing Lab
Poster title: “A Novel Gene Therapy CM-Yapon Provides Long-Term Protection Against Myocardial Infarction” - Weiyi Xu, Ph.D.
Mentor: Lilei Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine - Molecular and Human Genetics
Poster title: “Modeling Tango2-Deficiency Disorder with IPSC-CMS Revealed Possible Nav1.5 Dysfunction”
Clinical Fellow / Resident Category Winner:
- Anna H. Xue, M.D.
Mentor: Joseph Coselli, M.D., FACS
Baylor College of Medicine - Cardiothoracic Surgery
Poster title: “Reoperation After Prior Aortic Root Replacement: Evolution of Technique Over 30 Years”
Junior Faculty/Clinical Research Category Winner:
- David R. Murdock, M.D.
Mentor: Dianna Milewicz, M.D., Ph.D.
UTHealth - Internal Medicine / Medical Genetics
Poster title: “Non-Canonical Splice Variants in Genes for Thoracic Aortic Disease Are Enriched in Acute Thoracic Aortic Dissection Cases and Marfan Syndrome Families Negative Panel Testing”