I am an honours student currently undertaking my honours research project in the Heart Failure Research laboratory at the Baker Heart and Diabetes institute. Having previously completed 4th year undergraduate Medicine in 2023, I have been inspired to pursue research as I believe that pre-clinical and translational research plays a very significant role in driving advancements in medical therapies to improve the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, given the widespread prevalence of cardiovascular disease which affects many individuals, heart failure research has a great potential for improving the lives of numerous patients affected by this clinical syndrome.

For my honours research project in 2024, I will be investigating how different biomarkers present in the body are altered through a variety of pre-clinical models of a specific phenotype of heart failure termed heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This research hopes to compare between different disease models of HFpEF and to demonstrate how different therapeutic agents can lead to the elevation or downregulation of specific biomarkers in HFpEF. In addition, this research also hopes to better elucidate the complex pathophysiology of HFpEF so as to contribute towards advancements in medical therapies for patients with HFpEF in the wider population.