Qandeel Soomro, MD

2022 Donald E. Wesson Research Fellowship Award

Institution: New York University Grossman School of Medicine

Project Title: Phenotyping of Heart Failure in Chronic Kidney Disease using 12-lead ECG-identifying Features for Early Identification

How would you sum up your research in one sentence?

My research aims to understand the pathophysiology and manifestations of heart disease in chronic kidney disease.

Provide a brief overview of the research you will conduct with help from the grant.

Leveraging a large ECG database, we will analyze the association between ECG features and outcomes such as incident heart failure, cardiovascular events, and heart failure re-hospitalization using both standard and novel features with the use of deep learning algorithms. Risk prediction score will be built using these models for early identification of heart failure in patients with chronic kidney disease.

What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?

I hope to identify patients with chronic kidney disease at high risk for cardiovascular disease and its complications using a simple test such as ECG so that they can obtain the appropriate therapy and lifestyle changes early on.

What are your career goals at the end of the grant period? Five years out? Ten years out?

My goal is to continue to do clinical and translational research in the field of nephrology with a particular focus on cardiorenal diseases. I will apply for the NIH K grant toward the end of the grant period. In the future, I am interested in conducting clinical trials for therapies to slow and reverse kidney disease.

What inspired you to focus your research in this area?

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in chronic kidney disease and dialysis population. As a nephrology fellow I saw the magnitude of this problem and the impact it had on the patients. Research is urgently needed to identify the unique mechanisms of cardiovascular injury and therapies to prevent them. I found my mentor Dr. Charytan's work in this field inspiring and therefore wanted to work with him.

What are the major challenges to beginning a career in nephrology research today?

Funding for research is a big challenge especially for research fellows and junior faculty.

What advice would you give to others to encourage them to apply for this grant funding?

I would encourage all fellows interested in research to apply for this grant funding and I am thrilled to have received it. Prior recipients are well-known researchers in the field of nephrology, and it is very inspiring to see their career trajectories since this fellowship grant.

Something you may not know about me is…

I can speak 4 languages.

In my free time I like to…

Take long walks around NYC, play with my dog, spend time with family.