Today, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) announced the recipients of the 3rd Annual SCAI Early Career Research Grants. SCAI offers this initiative to support the next generation of interventional cardiologists, providing a platform for junior-level investigators within 10 years of completing an interventional cardiology fellowship to study high-priority, clinically important topics and have their findings disseminated through various professional channels. This year’s grants are funded by support from Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, and Shockwave Medical.
“Research funding is often limited for early career investigators striving to enhance their academic careers. SCAI's Early Career Research Grants program exemplifies SCAI's dedication to cultivating the next generation of interventional cardiologists—particularly those pursuing novel ideas,” said SCAI President George D. Dangas, MD, PhD, MSCAI. "Furthermore, we are excited to support these researchers with grants that address healthcare disparities and critical clinical areas for patients with cardiovascular disease. We look forward to their significant contributions to the field."
The 2024 SCAI Early Career Research Grant recipients were announced at a dedicated symposium at SCAI 2024 Scientific Sessions. This year’s recipients are as follows:
- SCAI-Edwards Lifesciences Early Career Research Grant ($70,000): Ashwin Nathan, MD; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Project: “Variation in the Distribution of Social Determinants of Health for Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement at 1-, 2- or 3-Star Programs.”
- SCAI-Medtronic Early Career Research Grant ($65,000): Yader Sandoval, MD; Center for Coronary Artery Disease at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Minneapolis, MN). Project: “Validation of Angiographic FFR Compared to Pressure-Wire Based FFR in Patients Undergoing Bifurcation PCI.”
- SCAI-Shockwave Medical Early Career Research Grant ($50,000): Umair S. Ahmad, MD; Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Project: “Racial Disparities in Use of Atherectomy and Intra-Vascular Lithotripsy for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.”
The Early Career Research Grant recipients will present the results of their research at a dedicated session during the SCAI 2025 Scientific Sessions in Washington, DC. They will be invited to publish the resulting manuscripts in JSCAI. Visit the SCAI website for more information.
Members of the grant review committee included:
Harold L. Dauerman, MD, FSCAI
Kevin A. Friede, MD, FSCAI
George S. Hanzel, MD, FSCAI
Connie N. Hess, MD, MHS, FSCAI
Daniel M. Kolansky, MD, FSCAI
John C. Messenger, MD, MSCAI
Leah Raj, MD, FSCAI
Sunil V. Rao, MD, FSCAI
Arnold H. Seto, MD, MPA, FSCAI
Binita Shah, MD, FSCAI
Nathaniel Smilowitz, MD, FSCAI
Molly Szerlip, MD, FSCAI
Press Contacts:
Gavin Stern
gstern@scai.org, 202-644-8561
Katy Frame
kframe@brgcommunications.com, 610-613-3549
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