Biography

Professor James Chong is an interventional cardiologist at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital and head of the Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research.

James’ research focuses on developing new and effective treatments for repairing and regenerating the heart. He has more than a decade of experience in developing stem cell-based therapies for cardiac regeneration, and is currently investigating methods for enhancing the regenerative capacity of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

James is also interested in understanding the mechanisms by which the cardiac matrix impacts heart repair after myocardial infarction (heart attack), in particular, effect of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) on cardiac matrix composition and remodelling.

James’ research has been published in top journals in the field of stem cell biology, including Nature, Nature Communications, Cell Stem Cell and Science Translational Medicine. He has also secured more than $10m in funding, including a recent NHMRC/MRFF Investigator grant.

James has won a number of accolades for his work, including a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, and was named one of the Rising Stars in Cardiovascular Research by the NSW Minister for Health.
 

Keywords

Cardiovascular diseases, Atherosclerosis, Stem cells

Themes

Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Clinical Specialty

Cardiology

Research Focus

Heart regeneration

Therapeutic application of stem cells

Coronary atherosclerosis and thrombosis

Development of new therapies for heart disease

Other Affiliations

Faculty of Medicine and Health > FMH Medical Research Institutes > Westmead Institute for Medical Research

Associations

Australaian Society for Stem Cell Researchers

Stem Cells Australia

Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand

Awards and Recognition

  • 2014 - Ministerial Award for Rising Stars in Cardiovascular Research (NSW Government/Heart Foundation)
  • 2014 - Heart Foundation Future Leaders Fellowship
  • 2014 - Heart Foundation Paul Korner Innovation Award (To top ranked Future Leaders Fellowship application)
  • 2013 - Ludwig Engel Fellowship, Westmead Millennium Institute/Westmead Hospital
  • 2011 - NHMRC Overseas Biomedical Training (CJ Martin) Fellowship
  • 2011  - (Inaugural) Fulbright New South Wales Scholarship
  • 2010 - CSL Biotherapies/Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Interventional Cardiology Fellowship
  • 2010 - Bushell Travelling Fellowship/Royal Australasian College of Physicians
  • 2010 - Interfaculty University of New South Wales 3-minute thesis finalist
  • 2009 - Ralph Reader Prize (Basic Science) Finalist - Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting 2009. Young Investigator Award. One of three finalists
  • 2009 - Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Travelling Fellowship to American Heart Association Scientific Sessions
  • 2009 - Network in Genes and Environment in Development, Travel Grant Award
  • 2009 - University of New South Wales Post Graduate Support Scheme Grant
  • 2009 - Paul Korner Seminar Series, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute – Second Place Prize. Best seminar of research work for the year
  • 2008 - National Heart Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship
  • 2007 - Australian Stem Cell Centre Student Bursary
  • 2007 - Australian Postgraduate Award (Australian Government)
  • 2007 - McCaughey Trust Research Scholarship Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2007. (Partial scholarship due to acceptance of APA)
  • 2007 - Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Research scholarship (Declined due to acceptance of other scholarships) 2007
  • 2007 - Pfizer Cardiovascular Travel Grant 2007

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy, UNSW Australia
  • Fellowship of Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Cardiology and Internal Medicine)
  • Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, University of Sydney