Posted: 10th September 2025

Research Assistant Leto Luana Riebel has been awarded the HESI Cardiac Early Career Seminar Award, recognising her contributions to cardiovascular safety science.

This competitive award is presented by the Health and Environmental Science Institute (HESI) Cardiac Safety Committee. HESI is a non-profit organisation based in Washington, DC, supporting early-career researchers whose work advances the understanding of cardiovascular toxicology and public health.

Riebel completed her DPhil in the department under the supervision of Dr Jenny Wang, Dr Hector Martinez-Navarro, and Professor Blanca Rodriguez, supported by an iCASE studentship in collaboration with AstraZeneca. In her research, Riebel conducts computer simulations of the human heart – informed by experimental and clinical data – to better predict the cardiac safety profile of new therapeutics.

The Cardiac Safety Committee at HESI works to reduce unanticipated cardiovascular-related adverse effects of drugs or chemicals, and to promote innovation in early detection and mechanistic understanding. The award provides a platform for researchers like Riebel to share insights and further develop their work through international collaboration.

As part of the award, Riebel has been invited to present her research at a webinar where she will join a global community of experts from academia, regulatory agencies and industry. The webinar is scheduled for 24 October 2025. Further details are available on the HESI website: https://hesiglobal.org/cardiac-safety/.