Health science researchers receive funding for transformative cardiovascular research
22 October 2025
Four researchers from the College of Health Sciences have won awards from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. The Heart & Stroke drives life-saving medical breakthroughs, advocates for better health and brings together the brightest minds to improve diagnosis, care and support.
Jennifer Conway, professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, received a Grant-In-Aid Award worth $389,417 for her research “UNderstanding ChildhOod eVEnts Related (UNCOVER) to Cardiomyopathy Study.”
Mark Haykowsky, professor and Research Chair in Aging and Quality of Life in the Faculty of Nursing, with co-PI Michael Sean McMurtry, received a Grant-In-Aid Award worth $379,707 for his research “Understanding the Impact of Exercise on Cardiovascular Function in Patients with Aortic Disease.”
Amanda Adam, MSc student with Gavin Oudit in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, received a Personnel Award for Black Scholars for her research “Role of the apelin pathway in cardiovascular and skeletal muscle systems in obesity and type 2 diabetes.”
Tanin Shafaati, PhD student with John Ussher in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, received a Personnel Award for Women’s Heart & Brain Health for her research “Elucidating a Cardiac Metabolic Signature that Defines Postmenopausal-Related Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.”
“The Heart and Stroke Foundation funds the top medical researchers across Canada who are working to prevent disease, save lives and create cutting-edge treatments,” says Lawrence Richer, College of Health Sciences associate dean of research. “And we’re proud that the successful projects in the University of Alberta’s College of Health Sciences exemplify and champion this mission. Congratulations to the recipients and their teams.”