Q&A with Associate Professor Quan Huynh

Addressing multimorbidity to improve outcomes in people with heart failure who are cognitively and physically frail

What are you currently researching?

My 2024 Future Leader Fellowship research project explores the connection between heart and brain diseases. These conditions often develop together because they share common risk factors, but healthcare systems don’t always treat them in a coordinated way. My goal is to address these gaps by developing better models of care that consider both heart and brain health. By identifying shared risk factors and testing new prevention and treatment strategies, I aim to improve clinical care and outcomes for people living with heart and brain conditions.

What difference will your research make to people’s cardiovascular health in Australia?

My research aims to:

• Improve early detection of heart and brain conditions by identifying shared risk factors.
• Develop better treatment for people living with both heart and brain diseases – reducing hospital visits and improving quality of life.
• Provide doctors and clinicians with new tools and strategies to manage cardiovascular and brain health more effectively.

Ultimately, by transforming how we understand and treat heart and brain conditions, my research aims to improve outcomes for people living with these conditions in Australia and worldwide.

What motivated you to do your research?

I have seen firsthand the impact that heart and brain conditions have on people and their families. The fact that healthcare systems and treatment options aren’t designed to address heart and brain conditions together leaves many people struggling with preventable complications.

I am passionate about changing this by researching new ways to manage heart and brain health. My goal is to create practical solutions that leads to better care, longer and healthier lives with fewer complications.

Associate Professor Quan Huynh

Research Fellow

Are there any recent achievements or discoveries you can share with us?

Over the past five years, I have secured 17 research grants totalling approximately $10 million, leading six of them as a Principal Investigator. One of my most significant achievements is creating a risk score and a disease management program that helps doctors guide heart failure treatment and reduce hospital readmissions. This work has been recognised with several prestigious awards, including:

• The Ralph Reader Prize for Best Clinical Research from the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (2016)
• The Emerging Health Researcher Award from the Bupa Health Foundation (2018).

Can you tell us about the impact of Heart Foundation funding in your career journey?

Heart Foundation funding has played a crucial role in shaping my research career and achievements, from the Postdoctoral Fellowship in my early career to my current Future Leader Fellowship. Without the support from the Heart Foundation, much of my work and research findings would not have been possible. This support not only helps me build a research team dedicated to developing new treatments and care models but also strengthens my ability to drive meaningful change in clinical practice. As a Future Leader Fellow, I am committed to shape the future of heart-brain health research and help people live healthier lives in Australia and around the world.