CTS PhD Student Analisa Stewart Receives American Heart Association Fellowship

Analisa Stewart, a second-year PhD student in Clinical Translational Sciences, has been awarded a predoctoral fellowship by the American Heart Association. Stewart received this highly competitive fellowship in support of her dissertation research project, “Bridging the Translational Gap in Stroke Recovery: Using Spatial Transcriptomics to Understand Foam Cells and Neovascular Recovery,” which will use spatial transcriptomics and traditional histopathological techniques to determine if infarct induced neurodegenerative changes observed in mice are similarly conserved in infarcted human tissue.  Additionally, the study will evaluate the therapeutic potential of 2-hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin (HPβCD) in preclinical stroke models.

Stewart noted: “The overarching goal of this work is to help close the gap between preclinical successes and clinical trial failures in both stroke and dementia research by identifying key species differences between mice and humans, targeting both immunological and cerebrovascular systems. This project would not be possible without the long standing collaboration between the Doyle Laboratory and Banner Sun Health Research Institute’s Brain and Body Donation Program, and the support of the American Heart Association. We are excited to be a part of the AHA’s mission: to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.”

Stewart’s doctoral advisor, Kristian Doyle PhD, added:  "We’re excited and grateful for the AHA’s support of Analisa’s project. This work embodies a critical step in advancing stroke recovery research by integrating cutting-edge methodologies and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this project, Analisa will gain invaluable experience at the intersection of preclinical and translational science, contributing to the development of therapies that address critical gaps in stroke research and offer new hope for patients who currently face limited treatment options.”