The 4th Scientific Meeting of ACRE Canada and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute Research Symposium Joint Conference
University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
June 29-30, 2026
Venue: Clara Christie Theater, Room G500, Health Sciences Centre (HSC), 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Rose
Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary
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Plenary Speakers
Dr. Peng-Sheng Chen
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Dr. Rhian M. Touyz
McGill University
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Dr. Peter Liu
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Dr. Yu Huang
City University of Hong Kong
Dr. Dazhi Wang
University of South Florida
Conference Co-Chairs: Xi-Long Zheng, Shan Liao, S.R. Wayne Chen, University of Calgary
Local Organizers: Vaibhav Patel, Satish Raj, Jennifer Thompson, Justin Deniset, University of Calgary
Organizing Committee Members: Qingping Feng and Tianqing Peng (Western University), Dake Qi (University of Manitoba), Guangdong Yang (Laurentian University), Dawei Zhang (University of Alberta), Ying Wang and Honglin Luo (University of British Columbia), Wenbin Liang (University of Ottawa), Burton Yang (University of Toronto).
Speaker Presentation Times:
Trainee talk: 7-minute presentation + 2-minute Q&A
Faculty talk: 15-minute presentation + 3-minute Q&A
Plenary lecture: 20-minute presentation + 3-minute Q&A
Keynote lecture: 40-minute presentation + 5-minute Q&A
Day 1 — Monday, June 29, 2026 (All times in MDT)
7:30–8:30 AM Conference Registration (statue area beside the bookstore) and Poster Setup (HRIC Atrium)
8:30–8:33 AM Opening Remarks — Drs. Xi-Long Zheng, Shan Liao, and S. R. Wayne Chen, Local Organizing Committee Chairs
8:33–8:38 AM Welcome from ACRE Canada — Dr. Qingping Feng, President, ACRE Canada
8:38–8:43 AM Welcome from the Libin Cardiovascular Institute — Dr. Robert A. Rose, Acting Director, Libin Cardiovascular Institute
8:43–8:45 AM Brief housekeeping and transition
8:45–9:10 AM Plenary Lecture 1
Dr. Peng‑Sheng Chen, Cedars‑Sinai Medical Center — Cardiac autonomic regulation of AF
Host: Dr. S.R. Wayne Chen, Libin Cardiovascular Institute
Session I Cardiac Electrophysiology and Atrial Fibrillation
Chairs: Dr. Vaibhav Patel and Dr. Wenbin Liang
9:10–9:28 AM Dr. S. R. Wayne Chen, University of Calgary — Novel Gene Variants and Mechanisms Underlying AF
9:30–9:48 AM Dr. Kyoung-Han Kim, University of Ottawa Heart Institute — Understanding and establishing heterogeneity in the cardiac conduction system
9:50–10:08 AM Dr. Aaron J. Phillips, University of Calgary — Neuromodulation for hemodynamic control
10:10–10:28 AM Dr. Satish R. Raj, University of Calgary — Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): Potential Mechanisms
10:30–11:00 AM Refreshment Break (30 min); Poster Viewing & Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
11:00–11:23 AM Plenary Lecture 2
Dr. Yu Huang, City University of Hong Kong — Feeling the Flow: Molecular Pathways to Endothelial Therapies
Host: Dr. Xi-Long Zheng, Libin Cardiovascular Institute
Session II: Trainee Presentation
Chairs: Dr. Dawei Zhang and Dr. Zhuxu Zhang
Five trainee presentations — 7-minute presentation + 2-minute Q&A
11:25–11:34 AM Sahanah Thirukumar, Western University, Canada — Targeting Cardiac Necroptosis in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy with Murine Cytomegalovirus M45
11:35–11:44 AM Gaea Buenaventura, University of British Columbia, Canada — Developing a 3D co-culture model to study cellular responses following percutaneous coronary intervention
11:45–11:54 AM Yanwen Li, Western University, Canada — Luminal Cys49Tyr mutation destabilizes STIM1 and increases store-operated Ca2+ entry, a potential mechanism of Stormorken Syndrome
11:55–12:04 PM Carmina Albertine Isidoro, University of Calgary, Canada — Pericardial Macrophages Influence Epicardial Phenotype After a Heart Attack
12:05–12:14 PM Jordan Chan, University of Alberta, Canada — GDF15-mediated alleviation of diastolic dysfunction in mice with experimental type 2 diabetes is independent of GFRAL
12:15–1:15 PM Lunch (60 min); Poster Viewing and Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
SESSION III: Decoding the Inter‑Organ Crosstalk in Cardiovascular Disease
Chairs: Dr. Satish R. Raj and Dr. Tianqing Peng
1:15–1:33 PM Dr. Vaibhav Patel, University of Calgary, Canada — Inter-Organ Dialogue: Epicardial Adipose and the Heart in CVD
1:35–1:53 PM Dr. Zhong-Ping Feng, University of Toronto, Canada — Calcium-dependent mechanisms in neonatal cerebral hypoxia-ischemia
1:55–2:13 PM Dr. Jennifer Thompson, University of Calgary — Systemic adiposity in vascular disease
2:15–2:33 PM Dr. Hong-Shuo Sun, University of Toronto, Canada — TRPM7 in Cerebral Ischemia and Hypoxia
2:35–3:05 PM Refreshment Break (30 min); Poster Viewing & Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
SESSION IV: Cardiac Biology & Arrhythmogenesis
Chairs: Dr. Hong-Shuo Sun and Dr. Justin Deniset
3:05–3:23 PM Dr. Wenbin Liang, University of Ottawa, Canada — Wnt Signaling and Arrhythmogenesis
3:25–3:43 PM Dr. John Ussher, University of Alberta, Canada — Targeting Systemic Inflammation to Alleviate Diastolic Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes
3:45–4:03 PM Dr. Tianqing Peng, Western University, Canada — Molecular basis of junctophilin-2 regulation of RyR2 in cardiomyocytes and its implications in heart disease
4:05–4:23 PM Dr. Justin Deniset, University of Calgary — Pericardial fluid-immune cells in post-MI remodeling
Session V Keynote Lecture
4:25–5:10 PM Dr. Robert A. Rose, University of Calgary, Libin Cardiovascular Institute — The impacts of age and frailty on atrial remodeling and atrial fibrillation: mechanisms and protective approaches
Host: Dr. Qingping Feng, President of ACRE Canada
5:10–5:20 PM Conference Group Photo
5:20–6:10 PM ACRE Canada business meeting (member only)
6:30–9:30 PM Conference Dinner, Central Grand Restaurant (1623 Centre Street NW, Calgary; free parking available at the restaurant)
Day 2 — Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (All times in MDT)
8:00–8:30 AM Coffee, Poster Viewing, and Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
8:30–8:55 AM Plenary Lecture 3
Dr. Rhian M. Touyz, McGill University, Canada — Small vessels big health problems – from hypertension to vascular dementia
Host: Dr. Vaibhav Patel, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary
SESSION VI: Vascular Biology & Disease
Chairs: Dr. Honglin Luo and Dr. Andrew Braun
8:55–9:13 AM Dr. Xi-Long Zheng, University of Calgary, Canada — Beyond Cholesterol: How Smooth Muscle Cell Metabolism Determines Plaque Stability
9:15–9:33 AM Dr. Shan Liao, University of Calgary, Canada — Macrophages in maintaining CSF drainage through the brain lymphatic system
9:35–9:53 AM Dr. Sarah Childs, University of Calgary, Canada — Using model organism genetics to understand cerebrovascular development and disease
9:55–10:15 AM Refreshment Break (20 min); Poster Viewing & Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
10:15–10:38 AM Plenary Lecture 4
Dr. Peter Liu, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Canada — Accelerated aging and inter-organ crosstalk in heart failure (HFpEF) – can we mitigate?
Host: Dr. Honglin Luo, University of British Columbia
SESSION VII: Trainee Presentations
Chairs: Dr. Burton Yang and Dr. Heyu Ni
Five trainee presentations — 7-minute presentation + 2-minute Q&A
10:40–10:49 AM Jerry Wang, University of Ottawa, Canada — Non-canonical Wnt signaling promotes ventricular arrhythmias
10:50–10:59 AM Lingyun Liu, University of Calgary, Canada — Fumarate overload activates cGAS-STING signalling to promote vascular smooth muscle cell senescence and atherogenesis
11:00–11:09 AM Amirhossein Bahreynii, University of British Columbia, Canada — Extracellular Vesicles Drive Immune Activation and Fibrotic Remodeling in Viral Myocarditis
11:10–11:19 AM Hai-Lei Zhu, University of Calgary, Canada — A Novel Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor Variant, RyR2-G4955E+/-, Causes Excess Spontaneous Ca2+ Release, Atrial Ectopic Tachycardia, Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia and Neurodiversity
11:20–11:29 AM Arshdeep Judgey, University of Calgary, Canada — Closed Loop Stimulation Pacing Reduces Syncope Recurrence in Patients with Bifascicular Block
11:30–11:53 AM Plenary Lecture 5
Dr. Dazhi Wang, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA — Heart disease: mechanism and treatment
Host: Dr. Shan Liao, University of Calgary, Canada
11:55–12:35 PM Lunch (40 min); Poster Viewing and Judging (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
SESSION VIII: Metabolism, Lipids, and Cardio/Cerebral Diseases
Chairs: Dr. Sarah Childs and Dr. Dake Qi
12:35–12:53 PM Dr. Dawei Zhang, University of Alberta, Canada — Surf4, lipid metabolism, and its therapeutic potential
12:55–1:13 PM Dr. Carlos Fernandez-Patron, University of Alberta, Canada — MMP2 interactions with APOA1 in blood
1:15–1:33 PM Dr. Tianru Jin, University of Toronto — GLP-1 receptor is required for resveratrol to exert its beneficial metabolic functions
1:35–1:53 PM Dr. Heyu Ni, University of Toronto — Novel mechanisms of atherothrombosis: Roles of apolipoprotein-IV
SESSION IX: Cardiac Injury, Remodeling, and Therapeutics
Chairs: Dr. Carlos Fernandez-Patron and Dr. John Ussher
1:55–2:13 PM Dr. Honglin Luo, University of British Columbia, Canada — Extracellular vesicles in viral myocarditis: Unlocking therapeutic potential
2:15–2:33 PM Dr. Burton Yang, University of Toronto, Canada — Targeting circRNA translation with LNA Mixmer: A novel approach to treating cardiac fibrosis
2:35–2:53 PM Dr. Ying Wang, University of British Columbia, Canada — Therapeutic target mapping and compound testing using cells derived from human biospecimens
2:55–3:13 PM Dr. Junjie Xiao, Shanghai University, China — Optimizing Cardiac Health: The Power of Exercise
3:15–3:30 PM Refreshment Break (15 min); Poster Viewing (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
SESSION X: Cardiovascular Injury and Vascular Dysfunction in Disease
Special Session Sponsored by SCBA Toronto Chapter
Chairs: Dr. Ying Wang and Dr. Zhong-Ping Feng
3:30–3:48 PM Dr. Dake Qi, University of Manitoba, Canada — The role of D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) in mediating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with metabolic dysfunction
3:50–4:08 PM Dr. Zhuxu Zhang, Western University, Canada — Mechanisms of cell death in heart transplant injury
4:10–4:28 PM Dr. Andrew Braun, University of Calgary, Canada — Targeting endothelial KCa channels restores vascular function in Type 2 Diabetes
4:30–4:48 PM Dr. John McGuire, Western University — Effects of PAR2 knockout and PAR2 activation on in vivo cardiac function in mice
4:50–5:05 PM Awards Ceremony (Drs. Dawei Zhang and Burton Yang) and Awardee Group Photo
5:05–5:10 PM Closing Remarks: Dr. Tianqing Peng, Secretary General of ACRE Canada; Dr. S.R. Wayne Chen on behalf of conference organizers
5:10–6:30 PM Reception (HRIC Atrium / poster area)
