Statement of Interest

Statement of Interest
Nahid Rezaee
Research Area
My primary research interest is in the area of cardiovascular medicine and surgery. It is evident that, over the past half-century, tremendous advancement has been made in this area. These advancements were as a result of preclinical research which was then implemented to improve clinical care. Reduced cases of chronic rheumatic valvular heart disease is an excellent example of the importance of preclinical research. However, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of disability and death despite the tremendous advancements, especially in industrialized nations and becoming more prevalent in developing countries. One of the most significant challenges in cardiovascular medicine and surgery remains heart failure. Millions of people suffer from heart attack each year, and with time, more people are expected to have heart attacks. This means more people are expected to be hospitalized from heart attacks, and more deaths are expected. Heart attacks also cost governments billions every year. Such devastating effects necessitate the need for more research on heart failures. My specific area of academic interest is in developing drugs that target systolic heart failure.
Background
I have an MD from the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. I believe this will give me the knowledge to be successful in this program. I have worked in various medical electives- Internal Medicine, Respirology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, and Diabetology under accomplished doctors in these fields.

It is after working for six weeks at Dr. Nair’s lab in St. Joseph Hospital that I realized that I would like to pursue my career as a doctor and a researcher. As I am a recent MD graduate and did not have the time to do the required exams for the matching residency this year, I decided to start with a master’s degree first.
I also have experience as a researcher. As a summer student researcher, I researched on rapid quantification of sputum eosinophil peroxidase on a lateral flow test strip. I also researched Benralizumab in patients with inadequate response to anti-IL5 Monoclonal Antibody therapies. These past experiences as a student researcher have helped me develop my research skills and techniques. I have also been part of published research work. These include:
Szarpak L, Rezaee A, Rezaee N, Smereka J. Medical students’ attitudes and beliefs concerning organ donation after cardiac death. Resuscitation. 2016; 106:e53. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2016.07.127.
M. Mukherjee, J. Cherukat, T. Javkar, H. Al-Hayyan, N. Rezaee, M. Kjargaard, K. Radford, N. LaVigne, J. Halbecki, A. Dvorkin-Gheva, P. Nair. High failure rate of Anti-IL5 mAb therapies in prednisone-dependent asthma is associated with airway autoimmune responses. American Thoracic Society. AJRCCM 2018; 197(1): 38-46. [Under Review]
Interest in the University of Alberta
I believe this program will help me achieve my full potential and be knowledgeable in the field of Research and Medicine. I am particularly keen to study at the Department of Medicine in the University of Alberta because of your research interests in heart failures and your reputation of excellence in these fields. The international reputation of the department attracts such a variety of students, and I believe it will be a stimulating environment in which to study at master’s level. Your university also provides excellent working and recreation facilities for graduate students who demonstrate your commitment to the graduate student body.
Career Goals
Following the master’s degree program, I would like to pursue my interest in research in the field of cardiovascular medicine and surgery by doing a Ph.D. Through my past experiences and hopefully studying at your university, I believe I will make a positive impact on the lives of millions of people who suffer from heart attacks.