PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Anum S. Minhas, MD, MHS, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology at the Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine. She seeks a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
in order to obtain essential skills and research experience for an independent career as a physician scientist in
women’s cardiovascular health. Her research proposal details a five-year plan, with an overarching goal of
understanding the role that pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, obesity and diabetes)
play in preeclampsia disease pathophysiology and associated long-term cardiovascular risk using a lifecourse
framework. The specific aims of the research are: 1) to identify distinct subtypes of preeclampsia via a machine
learning approach using clinical measures and vascular and inflammatory markers during pregnancy, 2) to
examine the impact of pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic risk factors on coronary endothelial function and
vascular and inflammatory biomarkers in women with preeclampsia at 3 months postpartum via cardiac MRI,
and 3) to determine the association of pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic risk factors and preeclampsia with
biomarkers and risk of cardiovascular events at 10 years postpartum. This study will provide novel data that
will inform therapeutic strategies to mitigate the risk of preeclampsia itself and of long-term cardiovascular
events secondary to its occurrence. Dr. Minhas will receive training in advanced epidemiologic and statistical
methods, including machine learning, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She will
master the conduct of clinical, imaging and biomarker studies. Her goals during the career development award
period include gaining crucial skills in combining detailed smaller-scale human studies of risk mediators with
larger epidemiologic and clinical database studies to help reduce health disparities and lessen the burden of
maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Minhas has complete support from her mentoring team and institution.
Her primary mentor, Dr. Josef Coresh, is an internationally recognized cardiovascular epidemiologist with
success training generations of leading clinical researchers. Co-mentors Drs. Allison Hays and Chiadi
Ndumele have expertise in novel cardiovascular imaging techniques, women’s health and cardiometabolic
disorders. This triad of committed, complementary mentors will help Dr. Minhas achieve her career goals and
access the resources and support necessary to transition into an independent academic career as a leader in
women’s cardiovascular health research.