PITTSBURGH, April 4, 2025 — The Greater Pittsburgh Heart Ball is set for Friday, April 4, 2025, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in the Spirit of Pittsburgh ballroom. This prestigious annual event, themed "Future of Heart," will be a meaningful occasion to reflect on, honor and celebrate the remarkable progress made through groundbreaking research, advancements for equitable health, advocacy efforts, and the distribution of lifesaving information.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to connect with local innovators and researchers who are at the forefront of revolutionizing heart health in Pittsburgh and beyond. From electric stethoscopes to insights into heart health post-childbirth, these brilliant minds were funded by the American Heart Association and are paving the way to the "future of heart."
"We are extremely proud of the incredible research happening right here in Pittsburgh. Currently, there are 36 funded researchers locally and six of them will give an overview of their work at our event," said Leeanna McKibben, co-chair of the 2025 Greater Pittsburgh Heart Ball.
The American Heart Association is a vital organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Research funding is a cornerstone of its mission, making it the largest non-profit, non-governmental funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research in the U.S. “Last year in Pittsburgh, for every dollar we raised, $3.25 came back to our city in the form of research awards. This translates to over 13 million dollars, underscoring the vital importance of fundraising events like the Heart Ball,” McKibben said.
Local researchers funded by the American Heart Association
Agnes Koczo, MD - Characterizing heart remodeling among pregnant people with preeclampsia and heart pump failure following pregnancy. - AHA 2024 CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Anna Li - Engaging patients with a way to record and understand their own heart and lung sounds from home. - AHA 2023 EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator
Iain Scott PhD, FAHA, FCVS - Understanding energy metabolism in cardiac disease. - AHA 2023 Established Investigator Award
Maryam Sharifi-Sanjani, Ph.D - How Trf2 protein helps the stressed heart in lung disease. - AHA 2024 Transformational project Award
Yu-Sheng Yeh, PhD-RD - Understanding how fat is digested in fat tissue and its effects on obesity. - AHA 2024 postdoctoral fellowship
Stephen Chan, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.H.A. - Exploring how your heart and lungs communicate with your brain in health and disease. AHA 2024 SFRN Center on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease award
Throughout the evening, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health, will honor volunteers and patrons, feature stories of survivors, and entertain guests with dinner, dancing and an exciting auction.
The Greater Pittsburgh Heart Ball is sponsored by UPMC, UPMC Health Plan, ZOLL, BAIRD, PNC, Heritage Valley Health System and for a complete list of sponsors and details on how to support the Greater Pittsburgh Heart Ball, visit www.heart.org/HeartofPittsburgh.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
For Media Inquiries:
Name: Karen Colbert, karen.colbert@heart.org
