Innovation and impact: Highlights from the 2025 Sydney Cardiovascular Symposium

Delegates from around Australia and the world gathered for the 2025 Sydney Cardiovascular Symposium, held on 20 to 21 November at the Charles Perkins Centre Auditorium at the University of Sydney.

Now in its eighth year, the Symposium has cemented its position as one of Australia’s premier cardiovascular research events , bringing together national and international leaders to accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes.

This year’s theme, Innovations in Cardiovascular Science: The Intersection of Vascular Biology, Cardiac Biology and Organ Cross-Talk, highlighted how integrated, multi-organ approaches are reshaping the future of cardiovascular medicine. Over two days, more than 270 attendees explored frontier science spanning vascular and cardiac biology, genomics, metabolism, neurocardiology, inflammation, regenerative medicine and translational research.

Jointly hosted by the Heart Research Institute (HRI), Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, The George Institute for Global Health and the Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR), the Symposium reflects a powerful statewide commitment to collaboration and excellence. Since 2017, it has served as a platform for researchers at all career stages to connect, exchange ideas and spark innovation across cardiology, multi-organ disease, bioengineering, bioinformatics and drug development.

Upon opening the Symposium and welcoming attendees, HRI’s Scientific Director and CEO, Professor Andrew Coats AO, acknowledged the event “would not be possible without the support of our sponsors”, including the two Diamond sponsors, the NSW Cardiovascular Research Network and the Office for Health and Medical Research (OHMR).

“I would also like to thank the tireless efforts of Professor Julie McMullen and the Convening Committee, who have put such a fantastic program and event together,” he shared.

Two world-renowned cardiovascular scientists delivered this year’s keynote lectures, drawing exceptional interest and attendance.

Professor Dana Dawson, from the University of Aberdeen, UK and a globally recognised expert in acute takotsubo cardiomyopathy, gave the Sydney Cardiovascular Symposium Lecture. She presented groundbreaking insights spanning cellular mechanisms, organ cross-talk pathways, mechanistic clinical studies and clinical trials. Her lecture, Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Organ Cross-Talk and Clinical Trials, set the tone for a program deeply grounded in translational relevance.

Named in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, the prestigious Princesses’ Lecture was delivered by Professor Filip Swirski, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA, a pioneer in immune and inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis. His presentation, Heart–Brain Communication in Health and Disease, explored the intricate bidirectional pathways linking cardiovascular function with neurological health — a rapidly advancing frontier with profound implications for understanding risk, resilience and therapeutic intervention.

Across keynote sessions, flash talks and themed scientific sessions — including cardiometabolism, heart–brain interactions, inflammation, heart development, organ cross-talk, and emerging technologies — delegates explored new mechanisms, therapeutic targets and translational opportunities.

A dedicated career pathways panel brought together leaders from academia, industry and intellectual property to discuss strategies for navigating and shaping impactful research careers.

Poster sessions and networking events fostered collaboration, with lively discussion continuing across both days and into the evening reception.

On Thursday evening, invited speakers and guests gathered at the historic Cullen Room in the Holme Building, University of Sydney, for an intimate Speakers’ Dinner. The event provided a valuable opportunity for deeper discussion, collaboration and reflection after a full day of scientific sessions.

Guests were addressed by Professor Robert (Bob) Graham AO from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, who shared insights into the evolution of cardiovascular research in NSW over the last 30 years and the importance of fostering multidisciplinary networks to accelerate

The Symposium proudly showcased outstanding early- and mid-career researchers, with awards recognising exceptional scientific merit, innovation and presentation quality.

Rising Star Awards

Selected from a highly competitive field, the 2025 Rising Star recipients were:

1. Alexander Lin (HRI)
   Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell PDGFRβ Signalling Regulates Fibrous Cap Fibroblast-like Cells and Stability of Diabetic Atherosclerotic Lesions
2. Dr Robert Hume (The University of Sydney)
   Do Human Hearts Have an Intrinsic Regenerative Potential? Cardiomyocyte Mitosis Post-Myocardial Infarction
3. Dr Lucy McGrath-Cadell (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute)
   High and Variable Endothelial Shear Stress Characterises Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: An Imaging Case-Control Study

Flash Talk Award

From 12 fast-paced, high-quality presentations showcasing emerging ideas and early findings:

• Hannah Parker (The University of Sydney)
  Investigating the Effects of In Utero High-Saccharide Exposure on Fetal Heart Development and Cardiovascular Health in Offspring

Poster Awards

Selected from an impressive showcase of 38 posters, this year’s winners were:

1. Dr Emma Rath (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute)
   Bile Acid Transporter Variants with Cross-Organ Influence May Be Contributing to Bad Outcomes After Paediatric Surgery
2. Elaina Kelland (The Heart Research Institute)
   Endothelial and Fibro-adipo-progenitor Cell Interactions as Drivers of PAD Pathogenesis in Diabetes
3. Dr Matthew Graus (The University of Sydney)
   Propranolol Rescues an NR2F2-Driven Orphan Syndrome via SOX18 Inhibition

These awards highlight the depth and diversity of emerging cardiovascular research across NSW and the commitment to fostering excellence, collaboration and career development at all stages.

In closing the Symposium, Professor McMullen, HRI’s Deputy Director and Chair of the Steering Committee, acknowledged the extraordinary effort behind the event:

“This Symposium reflects over 12 months of planning, partnership and shared purpose. I want to sincerely thank our sponsors, our Steering, EMCR and Local Organising Committees, our international and local speakers, and every attendee who contributed to making this year’s event such a resounding success.

We had more than 300 registrations, over 220 people onsite for Day 1, and the feedback from speakers, attendees and sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive. The strength of this Symposium lies not just in the science we present, but in the collaborations we build — collaborations that will ultimately improve cardiovascular outcomes for communities across NSW, Australia and internationally.”

Professor McMullen also welcomed the ongoing growth of the event:

“Since 2017, the vision was to make world-class expertise accessible to all NSW researchers and position the state as a national leader in cardiovascular research. The growth of the event demonstrates just how far we