The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) has announced the four recipients of its new Early Career Research Grants scheme, an initiative aimed at supporting the next generation of interventional cardiologists in advancing their research careers.
Projects investigating the use of intracoronary imaging to optimise percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), exploring socioeconomic and racial disparities in the management of peripheral arterial disease, looking at myocardial infarction in myocardial infarction (MI) patients and the use of calcium modification for coronary lesions have all been selected for support.
According to SCAI, the Early Career Research Grants provide a platform for junior-level investigators who are within ten years of completing their interventional cardiology fellowship to study high-priority, clinically important topics and to have their findings disseminated through a variety of professional channels. The grants are funded by support from industry partners including Abbott, Cardiovascular Systems, Medtronic, and Shockwave Medical.
The recipients of the inaugural grants are as follows:
SCAI-Abbott Early Career Research Grant: Chetan Huded (Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, USA). Project: “Site variability in use of intracoronary imaging guidance to optimize percutaneous coronary intervention.”
SCAI-Cardiovascular Systems. Early Career Research Grant: Alexander Fanaroff (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA). Project: “Racial and socioeconomic disparities in the diagnosis and management of peripheral artery disease and critical limb ischemia.”
SCAI-Medtronic Early Career Research Grant: Andrew M. Goldsweig (Baystate Health/ UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, USA). Project: “Myocardial Infarction in Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes.”
SCAI-Shockwave Medical Early Career Research Grant: Neel Butala (University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Aurora, USA). Project: “Use of Calcium Modification for Coronary Lesions: National Trends, Hospital Variation, and Disparities.”
“SCAI is very excited about the opportunity to cultivate the next generation of interventional cardiology researchers,” said SCAI President Sunil V Rao (Duke University Health System, Durham, USA). “We are proud to offer these grants that will address gaps in research funding and tackle various health care disparities impacting patients with cardiovascular disease. We received many outstanding applications from a diverse set of applicants and hope that these research projects will provide a dynamic opportunity for our early career members to explore critical clinical areas affecting underrepresented patient populations.”
Grant recipients will present the results of their research at a dedicated session during the SCAI 2023 Scientific Sessions (18–20 May, Phoenix, USA) and will be invited to publish resulting manuscripts in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (JSCAI).
