Pulmonary Circulation Gateway Programme

Eckart De Bie studied Medicine at Radboud University in Nijmegen (The Netherlands), graduating with honours for both the preclinical BSc(Hons) and clinical MD degree. During an internship in a molecular biological laboratory at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan (Italy), his interest was sparked in translating results from the laboratory bench to the bedside. This experience led him to pursue an MPhil in Translational Biomedical Research at the University of Cambridge. Eckart is currently a Gates-Cambridge funded PhD student with Dr Mark Toshner and Dr Chris Wallace at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Medicine (United Kingdom). His research focusses on using multi-omics approaches to better understand inflammation in PAH. He combines his research with occasional clinical work at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge (United Kingdom) and University Medical Centre Utrecht (The Netherlands). He is excited to join the Pulmonary Circulation Gateway Programme. He hopes this experience will deepen his understanding of editorial processes and equip him to provide constructive, high-quality peer review for the PVRI community.

I am a pulmonologist and internal medicine physician based in São Paulo, Brazil, currently working in both clinical care and clinical research. Through my work with patients undergoing right heart catheterization and invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (iCPET), I have developed a growing interest in pulmonary vascular physiology, exercise hemodynamics, and the interpretation of complex clinical data, particularly in patients with Long COVID and unexplained exercise limitation. Through the PVRi Peer Review Mentorship Program, I hope to further develop my skills in critical appraisal, peer review, and scientific writing, while learning from experienced reviewers and contributing more effectively to pulmonary vascular research and academic discussions.

Ciara McCormack, PhD is an Assistant Professor in Exercise Science and Health at Maynooth University and a Clinical Exercise Physiologist. Her work is driven by a commitment to improving the lives of individuals living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) through holistic, patient centred lifestyle interventions that extend beyond exercise alone.

Dr. McCormack completed her doctoral research at Dublin City University, where she developed and evaluated a home based physical activity intervention for people with PH (The PHAHB intervention) in collaboration with the National Pulmonary Hypertension Unit at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. Her research has since focused on designing and implementing accessible, remotely delivered programmes that support individuals to engage in physical activity as part of broader lifestyle management and self care.

Her work integrates clinical, behavioural, and psychosocial approaches to understand the complex barriers faced by people living with PH. She is particularly interested in how tailored, person centred interventions can support not only physical function, but also confidence, autonomy, and long term wellbeing. 

Dr. McCormack’s contributions include the development of scalable, home based rehabilitation models and research exploring patient experiences and support needs. Her work bridges clinical physiology with real world implementation, supporting the integration of lifestyle and physical activity support into routine care pathways for people living with PH.

Louisa Mounsey is currently a pulmonary vascular disease research fellow and will join the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in July 2026. After attending the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, she completed residency and fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Combined Pulmonary and Critical Care program. She then joined the lab of Dr. Jennifer Ho, where her primary focus is leveraging patient-oriented research approaches to examine the role of inflammation as a mechanistic link between risk factors and PH. 

Dr Anna Hemnes is a translational physician-scientist researching altered metabolism in pulmonary vascular disease. Her research focuses on the effect of BMPR2 mutation on insulin-mediated intracellular signaling in the pulmonary vasculature and right ventricle, and the role of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in human pulmonary vascular disease. Her work has led to the development of an Omic signature of vasodilator-responsive pulmonary arterial hypertension, and she is actively researching novel blood-based Omic predictive strategies for FDA-approved therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Dr Hemnes sees patients at the Vanderbilt Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease is the Chair of Medicine and System Physician-in-Chief of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dr. Sandeep Sahay is a pulmonary and critical care physician specializing in pulmonary vascular diseases. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and serves as Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Houston Methodist Hospital.

A nationally recognized leader in pulmonary hypertension, Dr. Sahay is the Principal Investigator for multiple phase II and III clinical trials evaluating novel therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension. He is frequently invited to serve on scientific steering committees, national leadership bodies, guideline panels, and in advisory roles with industry and regulatory agencies. He served as Chair of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Section.

Dr. Sahay holds editorial leadership roles as Associate Editor for Pulmonary Circulation, JHLT Open, and Respiratory Medicine. He also serves on data and safety monitoring boards and endpoint adjudication committees for NIH-funded clinical trials.

An accomplished clinician and educator, Dr. Sahay is deeply committed to teaching and learning alongside the Houston Methodist faculty and fellows, as well as collaborating with colleagues worldwide. In recognition of his excellence in patient care, he received the American Thoracic Society Outstanding Clinician Award in 2025.

Dr. de Jesus Perez is Associate Dean of MD Admissions and holds the rank of Professor of Medicine with tenure in the Division of PACCM at Stanford University. His academic journey began with an MD from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School, followed by a distinguished residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Subsequently, he pursued specialized training in pulmonary and critical care medicine in Denver, complemented by postdoctoral research at Stanford University.

Dedicated to advancing knowledge in pulmonary hypertension (PH), Dr. de Jesus Perez leads a comprehensive research program spanning basic and clinical domains. His investigations include various aspects of PH, from genetics and vascular biology to drug-induced complications and clinical outcomes. At the core of his research are two key areas: understanding the role of Wnt signaling in maintaining and restoring pulmonary microvasculature and examining genetic modifiers as predisposing factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).  As a medical professional, Dr. de Jesus Perez is involved in academic endeavors to improve access to care and the quality of life of patients afflicted with cardiopulmonary disorders.