Dr. McKee, mentored by CIC Co-Director Coleen McNamara, MD, is deeply involved in community engagement efforts both within UVA and beyond. She received her medical training at the University of Otago in New Zealand before pursuing a master’s degree in Immunology and Inflammatory Disease at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. While presenting to the approximately 40 high schoolers attending her talk, she used her experience in both clinical and research settings to help delineate the two perspectives. “Imagine a cliff,” Dr. McKee explained. “Clinical medicine is like an ambulance that treats people who fall off the edge. Research science tries to build a fence to stop people from falling in the first place, and there are pros and cons to each approach.” She also described her current research and the importance of being an advocate for science in a national climate increasingly skeptical of research.

Speaking at Monticello High School is Dr. McKee’s latest community engagement effort. She has also volunteered at events that brought middle schoolers to Grounds, UVA’s Discover Medicine program, and Charlottesville’s local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter. Community service is one of Dr. McKee’s core values, having volunteered in international medical efforts and local programs throughout her professional and personal life.

Her efforts to bring UVA and the Charlottesville community together are already building new bridges. Dr. McKee’s Discover Medicine mentee attended her talk at Monticello High School. Another student who attended that talk subsequently sought out a clinical research rotation and will work at iPRIME this summer.

Dr. Abbate, for his part, has a long history of community outreach. Like Dr. McKee, he spoke about the career that brought him to UVA: an MD/PhD from the Campus Bio Medico University of Rome, Italy, a fellowship at the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy, and a residency at Virginia Commonwealth University. He focused, however, on trying to excite the next generation to pursue science. “When I was a young student, people inspired me. Now, my job is to return that inspiration to the community,” Dr. Abbate said. He and the highschoolers discussed a variety of topics, ranging from practical concerns like how long an MD/PhD takes and his research projects to wider questions, like what motivates research and Dr. Abbate’s long-term goals. “It was a very rewarding experience—the students were very excited to learn about careers in science,” he recalled.

Community outreach and engagement is a core value of the CVRC and its researchers. Students and faculty interested in additional outreach opportunities should contact Dr. Christos Baryiames.

Owens gave a broad overview of the current research avenues in his research group, which is largely focused on understanding atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition where fatty deposits accumulate in the blood vessels. The body naturally forms a fibrous cap over these deposits, but the thickness of that cap can vary. A thin cap is liable to break, releasing the fats and dying cells into the bloodstream, causing a heart attack or stroke. A thick cap is much more stable. Owens and his team are interested in understanding why these cap thicknesses vary and how controlling inflammation can contribute to better patient outcomes.

Owens’ talk was attended by the UVA cardiovascular community, including 29 Owens Lab members, past and present. His children and grandchildren also attended. “It was a privilege to hear this lecture from someone whose career has so profoundly shaped the field and this institution,” says Isakson. Owens was presented with a plaque and Jefferson Cup in thanks for his lecture and service to the community.

Owens (right) receives a plaque and Jefferson Cup from Isakson (left).

Congratulations to Dr. Fenix Araujo, postdoctoral fellow in the Sonkusare lab, on her first-place award at the American Physiological Society Cardiovascular Section Outstanding Postdoctoral Trainee Competition. Fenix presented her work on the non-genomic effects of mineralocorticoid receptors.

To watch more Research in Motion videos in this series, visit the School of Medicine website research landing page

Together, the three researchers will identify correlations between LOY and HFpEF severity, LOY-related changes at the cellular level, and whether mouse models can inform our understanding of the disease. Specifically, the team will investigate whether LOY increases the prevalence of fibrosis, the formation of scar tissue, in the heart. “The work will merge molecular biology and clinical cardiology, particularly cardiac MRI,” Walsh explains. The Walsh lab will provide expertise in LOY and molecular biology methods. Dr. Patel’s research specialization is in cardiac MRI, and Dr. Abuannadi is an expert in heart failure. Together, the trio hopes to identify the sex-specific mechanisms giving rise to HFpEF. Understanding these mechanisms will facilitate future work to develop treatments for HFpEF in men and women.

A vibrant exchange of scientific discovery and potential strategic collaboration took place February 23–24, 2026 at the University of Virginia, as researchers from AstraZeneca met with faculty from across the School of Medicine. 

The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center and the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research hosted the two-day event, that brought together members of AstraZeneca’s Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM) team, alongside its Respiratory & Immunology (R&I) team — including representatives from the company’s Open Innovation and Corporate Affairs teams— with UVA investigators and leadership from the School of Medicine (SOM) and the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR). 

Strong Institutional Engagement 

The meetings reflected deep engagement on both sides. More than 60 UVA faculty laboratories submitted one-page proposals outlining innovative research programs and potential areas for collaboration with AstraZeneca. Following review, 33 labs were selected to present their science and participate in focused discussions about how future collaborations could be structured to accelerate discovery and therapeutic development. 

The breadth of science represented underscored UVA’s strengths across cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory, and immunologic research. Topics ranged from inflammatory drivers of cardiometabolic disease and immune-mediated tissue injury to biomarker discovery, advanced human model systems, translational data science, and novel therapeutic targets. 

UVA School of Medicine and Office of Research leadership were in attendance throughout the program, signaling institutional commitment to fostering high-impact academic–industry partnerships and supporting pathways that move discovery from bench to bedside. 

Science at the Interface of Disciplines 

A recurring theme of the meetings was the growing intersection between immune biology and cardiometabolic disease. Investigators from across the school of medicine highlighted advances in heart failure, vascular biology, thrombosis, and metabolic regulation. Other colleagues presented cutting-edge work in immune signaling, inflammation, host defense, and tissue homeostasis. 

AstraZeneca scientists engaged deeply with presenters, exploring how UVA’s mechanistic discoveries could align with the company’s global capabilities in drug development, translational medicine, and clinical trials. The presence of AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation Team created opportunities to discuss flexible partnership models, while Corporate Strategy leaders examined long-term alignment and portfolio integration. 

From Dialogue to Discovery 

The format emphasized interaction. Following each presentation, robust scientific discussion focused not only on experimental findings but also on practical next steps — from target validation and preclinical modeling to biomarker strategy and patient stratification. 

Networking sessions and smaller breakout meetings allowed faculty and AstraZeneca representatives to explore specific collaboration concepts in greater depth. Conversations centered on building sustainable connections designed to generate new discoveries and ultimately improve outcomes for patients worldwide. 

With strong participation, engaged institutional leadership, and cross-disciplinary scientific exchange, the February gathering marked an important milestone in strengthening ties between UVA and AstraZeneca. Participants left with a shared sense of momentum — and a commitment to advancing innovative science through collaboration in service of global patient care.

Link to Article on the UVA Research Website

Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the UVA Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), one of the nation’s most prestigious medical honor societies for physician-scientists.

Founded in 1908, the ASCI elects physician-scientists age 50 or younger in recognition of their significant research achievements and impact achieved. Its membership includes Nobel laureates, Lasker Award winners, and members of the National Academy of Medicine.

Dr. Abbatte will be formally inducted at the joint meeting of the ASCI, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Physician Scientists Association on April 17, 2026.

The ASCI is a nonprofit medical honor society composed of 3,500 physician-scientists across all medical specialties. Members are nominated and elected by their peers for having accomplished meritorious original, creative, and independent investigations in the clinical or allied sciences of medicine.

View the Article at the SOM Website

Hypertension, high blood pressure, affects approximately half of Americans over the age of 18. Persistent high blood pressure can contribute to heart attack, stroke, vision problems, and kidney disease, making it an important target for pharmaceutical development. “Many patients with high blood pressure are left with treatment-resistant hypertension,” says Araujo. ” There is a critical need to identify new ways of treating hypertension, and this requires a better understanding of pathological mechanisms.”

Blood pressure is controlled in part by smooth muscle cells inside our blood vessels, which can tighten or relax the vessel to control blood flow. “I am working on a fundamentally new mechanism for blood pressure regulation. This mechanism involves a well-known receptor called mineralocorticoid receptor, which alters ion channel activity and regulates smooth muscle contraction,” Araujo explains. To accomplish her objectives, she will use a combination of gene editing techniques, measurements of the electric currents inside cells, and super-resolution microscopy capable of observing individual proteins at the plasma membrane. Running these experiments in model systems and human samples with and without hypertension will allow Araujo to uncover new mechanisms of blood pressure regulation and possibly unlock new treatment options for hypertension.

The AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship is a prestigious, highly competitive award. “It’s an important milestone in my career, and I’m profoundly grateful for the training and support provided by the Sonkusare lab, as well as the research environment at the CVRC,” says Araujo.

In his lecture, Dr. Lindner discussed UVA’s role in developing and implementing contrast ultrasound, a technique where microbubbles are injected into a patient’s bloodstream to improve imaging in ultrasounds. “This is a UVA story,” explains Dr. Lindner. “Early first-in-human studies, safety and optimization research, and large clinical trials are all UVA work.” He also discussed how UVA continues to lead in the field by advancing new applications for contrast ultrasound and microbubbles. Dr. Lindner and other researchers are using the technology to deliver medications or genes to specific organs, diagnose disease with greater precision, and further improve the imaging potential of ultrasound methods.

Presenting to a lay audience presents unique challenges beyond making advanced science understandable to those without research experience. “You can often predict the questions a scientist will ask,” Dr. Lindner says. “Audiences who are less involved with day to day science will often ask unexpected, prescient questions that can really challenge you.” The Q & A period covered topics ranging from technology commercialization to safety considerations.

The U Ask, UVA Answers series continues February 8 with a presentation by Kelsey Johnson, PhD, from the Department of Astronomy.