Contact: Julie Boyland, jboyland@acc.org,

WASHINGTON (Mar 27, 2026) -

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has selected 26 learners for its 2026 Clinical Trials Research (CTR): Upping Your Game Program, a year-long leadership development opportunity designed for cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and cardiovascular researchers. The 2026 CTR Cohort is sponsored by Medtronic and Boston Scientific and will kick off with a networking reception at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) in New Orleans.

Established in 2019 as part of ACC’s diversity and inclusion workforce strategy, the Clinical Trials Research Program aims to uplift individuals who have historically been underrepresented in the cardiovascular research workforce and equips all CTR learners with the skills they need to take on a leadership role in clinical research trials. In support of these goals, the ACC is pleased to welcome the Association of Black Cardiologists as a collaborator on the 2026 CTR program.

“ACC’s Clinical Trials Research Program directly advances the ACC’s mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all,” said Wayne Batchelor, MD, FACC, ACC Clinical Trials Research Program Co-Chair. “By pairing track-specific training with expert mentorship and a community of peers, this year-long experience equips participants to conduct stronger studies, lead high-quality trials and translate evidence into better outcomes for patients.”

The incoming cohort of CTR learners will participate in a year-long curriculum designed to advance their skills and careers in clinical trials research. This year, the CTR program will feature two specialized tracks: structural heart disease (SHD) research and electrophysiology (EP) research.

“High-quality clinical evidence is the foundation for advancing patient care and ensuring meaningful innovation reaches the people who need it most,” said Kenneth Stein, MD, senior vice president and global chief medical officer, Boston Scientific. “Programs like ACC’s Clinical Trials Research initiative play an important role in expanding the community of clinical investigators—equipping more physicians with the skills, mentorship and perspective needed to design and lead rigorous studies. Strengthening that foundation is essential to improving outcomes for patients.”

The selected learners for the 2026 CTR Electrophysiology Cohort are:

Konstantinos Aronis, MD, FACC
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore

Uyanga Batnyam, MD, FACC
University of Washington
Seattle

Fatima Ezzeddine, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

Nicole Habel, MD
University of Vermont Medical Center
Burlington, Vermont

Stacey Howell, MD
University of California Irvine
Irvine, California

Margaret Infeld, MD
Tufts Medical Center
Boston

Nino Isakadze, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore

Kamala Tamirisa, MD, FACC
UT Southwestern
Dallas

Nicholas Tan, MD, FACC
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

Eunice Yang, MD
Inova Schar Heart and Vascular
Falls Church, Virginia

“Medtronic is proud to continue supporting this year’s CTR REACH cohort of structural heart specialists,” said Kendra J. Grubb, MD, MHA, MSc, vice president and chief medical officer for Medtronic Structural Heart. “Our mission centers on improving patient outcomes through meaningful innovation, and that begins with strengthening the clinical research community. By fostering diverse perspectives and expanding opportunities for future leaders in structural heart trials, we are helping ensure that the therapies we develop reflect the needs of all patients. We are excited to partner in this important work and look forward to the impact these clinicians will make on the future of cardiovascular care.”

The selected learners for the 2026 CTR Structural Heart Disease Cohort are:

Zaid Almarzooq, MD, FACC
VA Boston Healthcare System
Boston

Hooman Bakhshi, MD, FACC
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore

Rishi Chandiramani, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore

Mouhanad Freih, MD, FACC
Beebe Healthcare
Lewes, Delaware

Kifah Hussain, MD
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Henri Justino, MD, FACC
University of California, San Diego
San Diego

Sachin Kumar, MD, FACC
Inova Schar Heart & Vascular Institute
Falls Church, Virginia

Kalgi Modi, MD, FACC
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Denizhan Ozdemir, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, New York

Jonathan Pan, MD
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia

Bhavanadhar Penta, MD, FACC
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York

Waseem Raja, MD
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, Florida

Vikas Sharma, MD
University of Utah
Salt Lake City

Swethika Sundaravel, MD, FACC
Atrium Health Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Anwar Tandar, MD, FACC
University of Utah
Salt Lake City

Rahul Vasudev, MD
St Joseph's University Medical Center
Paterson, New Jersey

To learn more about the Clinical Trials Research Program, please visit here.

ACC.26 will take place March 28 – 30, 2026, in New Orleans, bringing together cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists from around the world to share the newest discoveries in treatment and prevention. Follow @ACCinTouch, @ACCMediaCenter and #ACC26 for the latest news from the meeting.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. Through its world-renowned family of JACC Journals, NCDR registries, ACC Accreditation Services, global network of Member Sections, CardioSmart patient resources and more, the College is committed to ensuring a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or follow @ACCinTouch.

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