Two CVRC members, Matteo Morello, MD, and Bethany Gholson, BS, ACS, RCS, FASE, won the 2025 Research Investigator Awards at this year’s American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). Dr. Morello received the Arthur E. Weyman Young Investigator’s Award and Gholson received the Brian Haluska Sonographer Research Award. This is the first time a single institution has won both awards. Dr. Morello and Gholson are mentored by Jonathan Lindner, MD, CVRC resident member & Frances Myers Ball Endowed Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine.
The Weyman Award which is named for one of the early pioneers of cardiac imaging, generally receives 40-50 manuscripts from applicants. Only the top four are invited to compete and present at the ASE meeting ASE meeting. Dr. Morello presented his work in front of thousands of other scientists. “The ASE meeting lasts three days, and these presentations are its scientific highlight,” says Dr. Lindner. Dr. Morello joins 12 Weyman Award finalists mentored by Dr. Lindner in the past. “Dr. Morello joins a 20-year history of people from our lab receiving this award, which recognizes the best science in echocardiography,” Dr. Lindner explained. Receiving the award provides not only a monetary prize, but funding for travel to the European Society of Cardiovascular Imaging and the Japanese Society of Echocardiography meetings where Dr. Morello will present his work globally.
Dr. Morello’s presentation was titled “Cavitation-facilitated Augmentation of Myocyte Gene Delivery with Adeno-associated Vector-9: A Bioengineering Strategy to Address Clinical Gaps in Cardiac Gene Therapy.” In his talk, Dr. Morello described a new method for safely delivering gene therapies to tissue in the heart. Many gene therapies rely on using a modified virus, utilizing the virus’ natural ability to transfer DNA into cells to to correct a genetic flaw in the patient. This process is safe and effective in other organs, but the quantity of virus needed to treat genetic conditions in the heart exceeds safe level, a problem Dr. Lindner recognizes through his work as the Co-Chair of an NIH committee that oversees safety of gene and cell therapy trials. He and Dr. Morello have shown that ultrasound-mediated vibration of microbubbles inside the heart blood vessels allows the virus to better penetrate into the heart’s tissues. More efficient viral delivery allowed Dr. Morello to lower the viral dose, resulting in a safe and effective treatment. He optimized the treatment conditions in mice before continuing his work at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. There, he showed that his methods were safe in non-human primates. He also showed that his methods are capable of partially reversing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in mice that were developed by researchers in the CVRC.
The other research highlight of the ASE conference was the Brian Haluska Sonographer Research Award. The award recognizes sonographer-led research, where non-physicians are the study’s primary investigator. Gholson’s winning presentation, “Rapid Acceleration of Aortic Stenosis Progression in Echocardiography After Acute Coronary Syndrome,” went through the same vetting process as Dr. Morello’s, and involves a monetary award.
Gholson joined Dr. Lindner’s lab in 2022, becoming the team’s resident specialist in imaging the heart with ultrasound. Her research studied patients with progressive aortic stenosis, a condition that results in calcification of the heart valves over time. She studied over 15,000 records and images to build a database of patients with aortic stenosis. Gholson meticulously re-measured all the data points in her database and worked with collaborators to show that when one of these patients suffered a heart attack or similar cardiac event, the rate at which their valves thickened increased and did not return to the baseline rate of aortic stenosis progression for approximately two years. “Between collecting and re-analyzing all the data, I often left work cross-eyed to get what we needed,” joked Gholson.
Identifying cardiac stress events as the sole culprit for the increased rate of valve thickening was a statistical challenge. Gholson and collaborators were able to able to statistically prove that the increased rate of progressive valve thickening and restriction to opening was triggered by the heart attack. Other members of the laboratory are working on the molecular signals that get released after heart attack that are responsible for valve changes. Gholson is extending this research into other conditions to see whether damaging cardiac events accelerate disease progression. “This really is the tip of the iceberg,” she explained. “There are a lot of other conditions where we can make a difference in patient care.”
“The competition for both awards was incredibly fierce,” says Dr. Lindner. “This year had the highest quality science I’ve seen in both categories, so I’m extremely proud of Matteo and Bethany’s work.” Gholson credits the familial atmosphere at UVA for her success. “Recognition for this award really belongs to the entire research group. Our team shaped the project throughout, and I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Lindner, our collaborators, and our colleagues for their support, guidance, and partnership,” she stressed.