Hassan Khan’s research aims to uncover the biological mechanisms linking pulmonary embolism and ischemic stroke.The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) is partnering with the Brain Heart Interconnectome (BHI) to fund outstanding trainees dedicated to advancing brain-heart research.  

Congratulations to Hassan Khan, who will receive an OHRI-funded doctoral scholarship to support research that aims to uncover the biological mechanisms linking pulmonary embolism and long-term risk of ischemic stroke. 

Hassan is co-supervised by Dr. Yan Xu and Dr. Marc Carrier with Dr. Vignan Yogendrakumar as a collaborator.  

Summary of the funded project: 

The project will investigate a novel and critical pathway within the brain-heart axis, aiming to uncover the biological mechanisms that explain the long-term risk of ischemic stroke following pulmonary embolism (PE), two of the leading causes of cardiovascular death worldwide. We aim to clarify the role of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), an age-related, pro-inflammatory blood condition, as a mechanistic link between PE and stroke. Furthermore, we seek to evaluate whether racialized older adults, who face a greater burden of PE and ischemic stroke, are disproportionately affected by CHIP. We will leverage OHRI’s state-of-the-art genomic and bioinformatics facility to identify CHIP-driven mutations using the Illumina NovaSeq X platform. By integrating biological mechanisms with social determinants of cardiovascular disease, our study aims to generate actionable insights to enhance risk prediction and develop targeted prevention strategies that advance brain-heart health. 

Learn more about additional funding provided by the Brain Heart Interconnectome.