Research Excellence
At the P.O.W.E.R. Women’s Health Prevention Hub, research is more than data—it’s a tool that drives scientific progress and informs policy change.
Inspired by the model of the Barbara Streisand Women’s Heart Center in Los Angeles, every woman seen in our clinic is offered the opportunity to participate in research—whether through a registry, clinical trial, or observational study. This integrated approach ensures that science evolves with, and for, the women it serves.
Our research team leads groundbreaking, community-embedded studies that enable the recruitment of diverse, multiethnic women—including those from remote, rural, and underserved populations. From uncovering hidden mechanisms of heart disease to confronting systemic gender bias in clinical science, we are redefining what inclusive, impactful health research can be.
STRESS-CVD: The Impact of Stress on Heart Health
The STRESS-CVD study investigates the effects of psychological distress—such as chronic stress, depression, anxiety, anger, etc.—on women’s cardiovascular health. Combining advanced cardiac MRI techniques with validated psychological distress questionnaires, this study explores how emotional and psychosocial stressors contribute to subtle but meaningful changes in heart structure and function, specifically the role of stress in myocardial inflammation and microvascular dysfunction.
By revealing the biological impact of stress on the heart, this work bridges mental and cardiovascular health, aiming to enhance early detection and promote more comprehensive, sex- and gender-sensitive strategies for prevention and care.
If you have any questions about the study, please contact Kristina Cunanan at maria.k.cunanan@mail.mcgill.ca
MINOCA-OS: Uncovering Hidden Causes of Heart Attacks in Women
The MINOCA-OS project focuses on women who experience heart attacks without significant blockages in their coronary arteries—a condition known as Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA). Often misunderstood and underdiagnosed, MINOCA disproportionately affects women and calls for a sex-specific lens on diagnosis and treatment.
This study combines advanced cardiac MRI with non-invasive vascular assessments—including oxygenation-sensitive imaging and applanation tonometry—to detect hidden contributors such as coronary microvascular dysfunction. By identifying subtle yet impactful abnormalities in heart tissue and vessel function, MINOCA-OS aims to improve diagnostic precision, inform targeted treatments, and close the gender gap in cardiovascular care.
If you have any questions about the study, please contact Jessica Patone at jessica.patone@mail.mcgill.ca
Uncovering the Impact of Sex and Gender on Microvascular Function
Women have long been underrepresented in cardiovascular research, and few studies report sex-specific findings. As a result, diagnostic tools often rely on male-derived data, risking misdiagnosis and poorer outcomes for women. This one-size-fits-all approach overlooks key sex differences—especially in conditions like coronary microvascular dysfunction, which disproportionately affects women and is linked to dementia, heart failure, and pregnancy complications.
Despite its significance, microvascular dysfunction remains hard to detect with current imaging tools, which are often invasive or lack precision. Our research addresses this gap using oxygenation-sensitive cardiac MRI, a non-invasive method that assesses microvascular function through simple breathing maneuvers—no contrast or injections needed. This offers a unique window into early, subclinical changes in vascular health.
If you have any questions about the study, please contact Kate Lindsay at katherine.lindsay@mail.mcgill.ca
Publications
Luu JM, Wei J, Shufelt C, Asif A, Tjoe B, Cook-Wiens G, Handberg EM, Mehta PK, Maughan J, Berman DS, Thomson LEJ, Pepine CJ, Merz CNB. Refractory angina in women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease - A report from the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation-Coronary Vascular Dysfunction (WISE-CVD) study. Am Heart J Plus. 2025 Apr 22;54:100547.
doi: 10.1016/j.ahjo.2025.100547.
Verma MS, Lindsay K, Ni J, Friedrich MG, Luu JM. Sex-Specific Associations of Cardiovascular Risk Factors With Subclinical Cardiac Remodelling: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Can J Cardiol. 2025 Mar 28:S0828-282X(25)00233-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2025.03.023.
Elenjickal EJ, Travlos CK, Luu J, Lemay S, Suri RS, Mavrakanas TA. Efficacy and Safety of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Patients with and without Advanced CKD: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2025 Mar 26.
Kawel-Boehm N, Hetzel SJ, Ambale-Venkatesh B, Captur G, Chin CWL, François CJ, Jerosch-Herold M, Luu JM, Raisi-Estabragh Z, Starekova J, Taylor M, van Hout M, Bluemke DA. Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance reference values ("normal values") in cardiovascular magnetic resonance: 2025 update. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2025 Feb 4;27(1):101853.
doi: 10.1016/j.jocmr.2025.101853.
Pacheco C, Coutinho T, Bastiany A, Beanlands R, Boczar KE, Gulati M, Liu S, Luu J, Mulvagh SL, Paquin A, Saw J, Sedlak T. Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance Clinical Practice Update on Myocardial Infarction With No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (MINOCA). Can J Cardiol. 2024 Jun;40(6):953-968. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2024.02.032.
Johnson LS, Jiang Y, Luu J, Van Gelder IC, Atzema C, Conen D, Kloosterman M, Armaganijan L, Connolly SJ, Ezekowitz MD, Wallentin L, Johansson I, McIntyre WF, Oldgren J, Healey JS. Emergency department visit for atrial fibrillation: sex differences in treatment and outcomes in the Global RE-LY AF Registry. Eur Heart J. 2024 Jul 9;45(26):2336-2340. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae319.
Latchupatula L, Benayon M, Mansoor M, Luu J. Myosin Heavy Chain 7 (MYH7) Variant Associated Cardiovascular Disease: An Unusual Case of Heart Failure in a Young Male. Cureus. 2024 May 28;16(5):e61252. doi: 10.7759/cureus.61252.
Hillier E, Luu J. Unlocking Sex-Specific Therapies in Aortic Stenosis: A Leap Forward With Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers. Can J Cardiol. 2024 Sep;40(9):1700-1702. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2024.04.008.
Hillier E, Elharram M, White JA, Anderson T, Luu J, Labib D, Alhussein M, Friedrich MG, Pilote L. Heterogeneity of coronary vascular function and myocardial oxygenation in women with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2024 Jul 31;25(8):1136-1143. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeae076.
Luu JM, Bairey Merz CN, Wei J. Reply to Pendyal-Long-term Adverse Outcomes in Black Women With Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Study of the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) Cohort. Can J Cardiol. 2024 Jun;40(6):1177.
doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2024.01.010.
Plasa G, Hillier E, Luu J, Boutet D, Benovoy M, Friedrich MG. Automated Data Transformation and Feature Extraction for Oxygenation-Sensitive Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Images. J Cardiovasc Transl Res. 2024 Jun;17(3):705-715.
doi: 10.1007/s12265-023-10474-7.
Ranasinghe S, Tjoe B, Shufelt C, Wei J, Lauzon M, Luu J, Asif A, Lewis J, Pepine CJ, Shaw LJ, Handberg E, Merz CNB. Association of abnormal electrocardiography response on dobutamine stress echocardiogram with longer-term major adverse cardiovascular events in women with symptoms of ischemic heart disease. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2023 Dec 15;13(6):948-955.
Luu JM, Cook-Wiens G, Pepine CJ, Handberg EM, Reis SE, Bittner V, Sopko G, Bairey Merz CN, Wei J. Long-term Adverse Outcomes in Black Women With Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Study of the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) Cohort. Can J Cardiol. 2023 Nov;39(11):1664-1666. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2023.08.010.
Luu J, Dayan N. The Duality of Screening Mammography: Advancing Women's Cardiovascular Health. Can J Cardiol. 2023 Dec;39(12):1951-1953. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2023.09.022.
Garbis K, Rafiee MJ, Luu J. 5-fluorouracil-induced coronary vasospasm: A cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging case report. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract. 2023 Aug 1;2023(3):e202316. doi: 10.21542/gcsp.2023.16.
Luu JM, Malhotra P, Cook-Wiens G, Pepine CJ, Handberg EM, Reis SE, Reichek N, Bittner V, Wei J, Kelsey SF, Sailaja Marpuri R, Sopko G, Bairey Merz CN. Long-Term Adverse Outcomes in Black Women With Ischemia and No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Study of the WISE (Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation) Cohort. Circulation. 2023 Feb 14;147(7):617-619.
doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.063466.
Pacheco C, Luu J, Mehta PK, Wei J, Gulati M, Bairey Merz CN. INOCA and MINOCA: Are Women's Heart Centres the Answer to Understanding and Management of These Increasing Populations of Women (and Men)? Can J Cardiol. 2022 Oct;38(10):1611-1614. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2022.06.016.
Luu JM, Wei J, Shufelt CL, Asif A, Tjoe B, Theriot P, Bairey Merz CN. Clinical Practice Variations in the Management of Ischemia With No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Oct 4;11(19):e022573. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.022573.
Luu JM, Gebhard C, Ramasundarahettige C, Desai D, Schulze K, Marcotte F, Awadalla P, Broet P, Dummer T, Hicks J, Larose E, Moody A, Smith EE, Tardif JC, Teixeira T, Teo KK, Vena J, Lee DS, Anand SS, Friedrich MG; CAHHM Study Investigators. Normal sex and age-specific parameters in a multi-ethnic population: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study of the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds cohort. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2022 Jan 3;24(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12968-021-00819-z.
Hirschberg K, Braun SM, Paul O, Ochs M, Riffel J, Andre F, Salatzki J, Lebel J, Luu J, Hillier E, Finster M, Vago H, Merkely B, Katus HA, Friedrich MG. The diagnostic accuracy of truncated cardiovascular MR protocols for detecting non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2022 Apr;38(4):841-852. doi: 10.1007/s10554-021-02462-2.
Luu JM, Sergeant AK, Anand SS, Desai D, Schulze K, Knoppers BM, Zawati MH, Smith EE, Moody AR, Black SE, Larose E, Marcotte F, Kleiderman E, Tardif JC, Lee DS, Friedrich MG; CAHHM Study Investigators. The impact of reporting magnetic resonance imaging incidental findings in the Canadian alliance for healthy hearts and minds cohort. BMC Med Ethics. 2021 Oct 28;22(1):145.
doi: 10.1186/s12910-021-00706-3.
Haider A, Bengs S, Luu J, Osto E, Siller-Matula JM, Muka T, Gebhard C. Sex and gender in cardiovascular medicine: presentation and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome. Eur Heart J. 2020 Apr 1;41(13):1328-1336. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz898.
Luu JM, Ducas J, Kass M. Clinical Practice Variations in the Management of Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Canadian Perspective. Can J Cardiol. 2019 Nov;35(11):1592-1595. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2019.08.036.
Luu JM, Schmidt A, Flewitt J, Mikami Y, Ter Keurs H, Friedrich MG. Cardiovascular risk is associated with a transmural gradient of myocardial oxygenation during adenosine infusion. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2019 Nov 1;20(11):1287-1295.
Luu JM, Friedrich MG, Harker J, Dwyer N, Guensch D, Mikami Y, Faris P, Hare JL. Relationship of vasodilator-induced changes in myocardial oxygenation with the severity of coronary artery stenosis: a study using oxygenation-sensitive cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014 Dec;15(12):1358-67. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeu138.
Luu JM, Filipchuk NG, Friedrich MG. Indications, safety and image quality of cardiovascular magnetic resonance: experience in >5,000 North American patients. Int J Cardiol. 2013 Oct 9;168(4):3807-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.06.032.