UCSF assistant professor to receive the 2025 Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award

(Press-News.org) DALLAS, Sept 29, 2025 — Megan McLaughlin, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has been selected to  receive the 2025 Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025. The meeting, to be held Nov. 7-10, 2025, in New Orleans, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science. The award will be presented to Dr. McLaughlin during the annual Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award for Best Scientific Article on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women session at 1:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, Nov. 8.

The Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award for Best Scientific Article on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women is named in honor of Nanette K. Wenger, M.D., FAHA, and her pioneering career in women’s cardiovascular disease medicine. Dr. Wenger is an emeritus professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine, consultant to the Emory Heart and Vascular Center, founding consultant to the Emory Women’s Heart Center and director of the Cardiac Clinics and Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Laboratory at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. The Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Award is given annually in recognition of the best research article or articles focused on cardiovascular disease and stroke in women published during the previous year in any of the Association’s 14 peer-reviewed, scientific journals. The Association’s Research Goes Red® initiative aims to empower women to contribute to health research.

Dr. McLaughlin was selected for this year’s award for her article, “Disparities in Postpartum Care After a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy in the United States,” published in the Association’s journal Hypertension on April 2, 2025. Her research highlighted critical gaps in postpartum care for individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, a major risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Using nationally representative data from over 47,000 postpartum individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Dr. McLaughlin and co-authors found that while most patients attended a postpartum visit, attending  postpartum visits varied by race, ethnicity, insurance status and socioeconomic factors. In addition, many patients reported not receiving essential counseling or screening for cardiovascular risk factors, such as lifestyle guidance, smoking cessation or diabetes testing in their postpartum visit. The study confirms missed opportunities to improve long-term heart health in a high-risk population.

“Dr. McLaughlin’s research on cardiovascular disease in women, particularly among high-risk populations, underscores the critical role of early education and targeted intervention in preventing long-term heart disease,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association’s 2025-2026 volunteer president, executive director for Northwell’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health, senior vice president of Women’s Health at Northwell, the Partners Council Professor of Women’s Health and professor of cardiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.  “A greater focus on women’s health, especially during pregnancy, helps ensure that women with higher risk receive the tools, knowledge and support they need to manage their heart health effectively. This study provides important, meaningful and impactful information that can help us to improve postpartum care and help more women live longer, healthier lives.”

Submissions for the 2025 Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red for Women Award were evaluated by 25 expert peer reviewers for their scientific impact, innovation, methodology, and quality of data and evidence supporting hypotheses and conclusions. Dr. McLaughlin’s manuscript was selected out of 123 submissions from 17 different countries published in the Association’s scientific journals between June 1, 2024, and May 29, 2025.

“I have been such an admirer of Dr. Nanette Wenger’s trailblazing career. And I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association on behalf of my co-authors,” said Dr. McLaughlin. “As a woman and a clinician, I’m passionate about pursuing research that leads to better cardiovascular care for women.”

Dr. McLaughlin is a cardiologist with advanced training in echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart). She is particularly interested in heart disease prevention and women's cardiovascular health. In her research, McLaughlin develops and evaluates new approaches to heart disease prevention, with a focus on improving the management of risk factors such as high blood pressure. She also studies how to keep women with pregnancy complications from developing heart disease.

Dr. McLaughlin has been recognized by the Association and others for her leadership and contributions to cardiovascular research and public health. A recipient of the 2023 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines® Early Career Investigator Database Research Seed Grant, she was also awarded Second Prize in the 2023 American Heart Association Research Goes Red Data Challenge and named a 2023 World Heart Federation Emerging Leader. Dr. McLaughlin has received numerous other honors, including a Fulbright Scholarship, the Charles Janeway Prize for International Research from Harvard Medical School and recognition as a Laennec Fellow in Training Clinician Award Finalist by the American Heart Association. In addition to her academic and research achievements, Dr. McLaughlin serves on several leadership committees, including the Heart Association’s Council on Epidemiology and Prevention’s Social Determinants of Health Committee and the American College of Cardiology’s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section Leadership Council.

Dr. McLaughlin earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a master of public health degree from Yale School of Public Health. She completed her medical training at UCSF with a residency in internal medicine, a fellowship in cardiology and a fellowship in advanced echocardiography.

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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.   

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