PhD student shines at international hypertension conference
A Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) PhD student has won two sought-after awards at a major international conference on hypertension.
Giannie Barsha, from the Denton lab, won the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Council on Hypertension New Investigator Award for her abstract on age and sex differences in cardiovascular disease.
The conference, held in Chicago, attracted researchers and clinicians who are experts in hypertension (high blood pressure) to discuss its relationship to heart and kidney disease, stroke, obesity and genetics.
Ms Barsha’s abstract was one of 700 submitted for potential presentation at the international conference. It was ranked in the top 10 per cent, earning her a presentation at the AHA’s “Scientific Sessions” in Chicago next month. This meeting showcases many of the highlights and best abstracts from each conference held by the AHA annually. The abstract was also ranked as the number one abstract from Australia.
Ms Barsha went on to win the 2018 Paul Dudley White International Scholar Award.
She said she was delighted and grateful to win the awards.
“I never thought that I would have the chance to win awards like these, for someone who is just halfway through their PhD,” Ms Barsha said.
“Having the opportunity to connect with cross-disciplinary researchers and health professionals in my field has allowed me to share and learn the latest advancements in scientific research. Only then do you begin to realise how impactful your findings can be if the ultimate goal is reached,” she said.
“These achievements show that we – and the University – clearly have the ability to produce research that may one day change the way we understand and treat certain cardiovascular diseases, using the tools that are available to us.
“Our recent pre-clinical discoveries not only strengthen our existing knowledge but provide a gateway into clinically translatable research.”
Ms Barsha is currently supervised by the Monash BDI’s Head of Cardiovascular Program, Professor Kate Denton.
Their study is investigating the ovarian hormone relaxin.
“Relaxin has been previously shown to have protective actions on the heart and kidney,” Ms Barsha said.
“In this study, we administered the hormone to young and aged female animals that were part of an advanced hypertensive model. We found that relaxin was able to improve renal and vascular function, as well as organ fibrosis through an interaction with the AT2 receptor. We still need to finalise other components of the study but so far, these findings are significant,” she said.
The aim was to uncover the mechanisms that drive loss of cardiovascular protection in post-menopausal women, which may help introduce novel therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in both men and women.
Ms Barsha presented the first part of her PhD project at the same conference, held in San Francisco last year, and at the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia meeting in Melbourne, but said this was the first time she had won awards for her scientific research.
“My contribution and achievements are the outcomes of being a passionate researcher and working with an amazing team. These further build my day-to-day motivation, to work even harder in my PhD, to bridge the gap between what we currently know and what we want to find out,” she said.
The New Investigator Award is open to PhD students or early career researchers while the Paul Dudley White Scholar Award, named after the pioneering cardiologist and founding member of the American Heart Association, is open to all-comers at the conference.
About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.