HeRO Seminars
HeRO Research in Progress Seminar Series
This monthly seminar series provides a platform for trainees and faculty members to present their ongoing research projects (regardless of completion status), explore emerging findings, share insights, and foster collaborative discussions that drive advancements in pediatric cardiovascular care.
HeRO Special Guest Seminar Series
This seminar series features guest speakers from outside the HeRO community who share their research and insights with our group. These talks bring fresh perspectives, foster collaboration, and connect us with experts from diverse institutions and specialties, inspiring new ideas and approaches in pediatric cardiology and related fields.
HeRO Career Conversations Seminar Series
Tailored specifically for pediatric research trainees at Emory and Georgia Tech, this seminar series brings in distinguished internal and external faculty members to share their experiences and insights from a variety of sectors. It offers trainees a comprehensive look at potential career paths post-training and serves as a valuable opportunity to build connections.
HeRO Rapid Fire Seminar Series
This biannual hybrid seminar series was created to enhance communication and foster collaboration between clinical and basic science researchers within the HeRO community. Both clinicians and basic science researchers gather together for 3–5-minute rapid fire presentations on their research at AMBH.
HeRO Seminar Speaker Nominations
Help us bring inspiring and informative speakers to our HeRO seminar series by suggesting a presenter (internal or external) whose work advances child health through clinical and translational research. Your nomination will help us highlight innovative science, foster collaboration, and spark new ideas. Click on the submit button below to nominate a speaker today!
Please note: While we value every nomination, submission does not guarantee selection. All suggestions will be carefully reviewed by the HeRO Director and team, and final invitations will depend on speaker availability, scheduling, and seminar space.
SUBMITSeminar Archive
- 10/28/25- HeRO Special Guest Seminar | Featuring Jennifer M. Lynch, MD, PhD, "Illuminating the Brain: Advanced Optical Technologies for Neuroprotection in Pediatric Heart Disease." (Click Here for Recording)
- 10/14/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Jillian Ortner, "Evaluating the Functional Performance of 3D Bioprinted Aortic Valve Constructs”
- 9/18/25- HeRO Career Conversations Seminar | A Conversation with Shashank Shekhar, Ph.D.
- 9/16/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Michael Fundora, MD "“Gut Microbiome in Children with Congenital Heart Disease”" and Wenhao Zhang, Ph.D “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Induce Synergistic Cardiotoxicity, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Proteomic Remodeling in Human Cardiomyocytes.”
- 8/12/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Dr. Lazaros Kochilas, MD, MSCR "Association of Pre-Fontan Hemodynamics with Long-Term Outcomes after Fontan Palliation", and Mostafa Meselhe,"Engineering Hydrogel Scaffolds for Next Generation Organoids."
- 5/21/25- HeRO Pediatric Research Grand Rounds | Allen D. Everett, MD. "Predictors and Drivers of Outcomes after Neonatal Cardiac Surgery."
- 5/13/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Yanxu Yang, DrPH "“Association of pre-Fontan hemodynamics with long-term outcomes after Fontan palliation," and Luke Shoemaker "“Exploring the Mechanism by which Defects in the PIX Signaling Pathway Result in Cardiomyopathy.”
- 4/15/25- HeRO Special Guest Seminar | Featuring Kristin Kopperud, Ph.D "“Biomedical R&D in Low Earth Orbit and Its Role in the 4th Industrial Revolution."
- 4/8/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Linqu Jin "“Studying Flow-Regulated Pathogenesis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in a 3D Bioprinted Human Heart Tube." and Asaad Beshish
- 3/11/25- HeRO Researach in Progress | Featuring Jongyeuk Han, Ph.D. "Casual Deep Learning Enabled Integrative and Temporal Understanding of Postnatal Pulmonary Artery Growth at Single Cell Level," and Mostafa Meselhe, MPhil "Engineering Morphogen Gradients in Human Forebrain Organoids via 3D Bioprinting"
- 2/14/25- HeRO Special Guest Seminar | Featuring Dr. Hyun-Ji Park, Ph.D "“Subtype-specific macrophages for enhanced vascular regeneration”," and Dr. Dasom Kong, Ph.D, "Disease Modeling Using Blood Vessel Assembloids to Enhance Phenotype Recapitulation and Their Application in Therapeutic Efficacy Evaluation.”
- 2/11/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Akiel Yohannes "Developing a Pediatric Tissue Engineered Aortic Valve for Long-Term Function” and Vani Sridhar, MS "“A 3D Bioprinted In Vitro Model of Myocardial Infarction for Studying Cardiac Patch Therapy."
- 1/14/25- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Melissa Cadena "“Leveraging 3D Bioprinting and Cortical Organoids to Study Neurovascular Interactions” and Kavetta Kaw, MD, PhD “3D Bioprinted Model of Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.”
- 1/13/25- HeRO Special Guest Seminar | Featuring Hananeh Fonoudi, Ph.D
12/12/24- HeRO Career Conversations Seminar | A Conversation with Dr. Brandon Berry, Ph.D
12/10/24- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Olivia Reid, "“Ethanol Exposure during Differentiation of hiPSCs Reduces Cardiomyocyte Generation and Alters Metabolism”
10/8/2024-HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Ruogang Zhao, PhD, "Engineered Fibrotic Tissue Models for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing."
8/22/24 - 2024 HeRO Research Retreat
8/15/24 - HeRO Career Conversations Seminar | A Conversation with Dr. R. Nathan Correll, PhD
8/13/24- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Chiemela Ohanele“Defining the Role of mitochondrial citrate carrier, SLC25A1, in the regulation of metabolic maturation in the developing heart”"
5/14/24- HeRO Research in Progress | Featuring Nasab Ghazel, MS, PhD, ""Mechanistic insights of meclizine induced metabolic reprogramming and cardioprotection"
3/26/24 - HeRO Research in Progress| Featuring Boen Hwang and Maher Saadeh, "Developing 3-D Bioprinted Pulmonary Artery Model for Vascular Pathology,' and "3D Bioprinting of Perusable Vascular Cardiac Patch for Heart Repair After Myocardial Infarction."
3/20/24- March Pediatric Research Grand Rounds | Featuring Marlene Rabinovitch, MD, "Pursuing a Cure for Pulmonary Hypertension."
Meet the Team
Michael E Davis, PhD
Center Director - HeRO