APPLYING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO MEDICAL IMAGING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE DETECTION
Parmida Ghorbanian, PhD Candidate,
University of Western Australia & Advanced Clinical and Translational Cardiovascular Imaging,
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research,
Western Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Perth, Australia | July 2026
Parmida is a software engineer and biomedical scientist whose research focuses on translating novel medical imaging technologies into clinical practice to improve the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease.
Her current work applies advanced deep learning techniques to retinal polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) imaging, aiming to generate clinically meaningful biomarkers and predictions of cardiovascular disease. Parmida’s collaboration partners include Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, Western Australia.
She is the recipient of the Novel Heart Disease Imaging Through AI HDR Scholarship and has received multiple awards for her research, including the WACRA Heart-to-Vessel Showcase Award, the South Metropolitan Health Service 3-Minute Project Competition, and the Data Institute Postgraduate Student Researcher Pitch Winner award.
Most recently, she was selected as a finalist in the INCITE Awards, Western Australia’s premier technology innovation awards program.
Source: Supplied and adapted
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Iodine in pregnancy on baby brain and nervous system development
Dr Karen Best is Senior Research Fellow in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Women and Kids Theme. She is a Registered Midwife with a unique breadth of experience in clinical project management, academic skills and knowledge translation and is committed to better understanding the essential role that modifiable exposures in pregnancy play in setting the foundations for a healthy start to life.
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Funding the best brains to beat brain cancer
The Charlie Teo Foundation is dedicated to funding and advancing research into brain cancer, with a particular focus on developing more effective treatments and finding a cure for this devastating disease.
Since its inception, the foundation has committed nearly $15 million to brain cancer research, funding notable projects in Australia and the United States. These projects explore innovative approaches to understand and treat brain cancer more effectively, with a focus on translating findings from animal studies to human applications. Charlie’s dedication to finding solutions for this devastating disease remains unwavering as he travels frequently to collaborate with global researchers. -
Cellular mechanisms of traumatic brain injury & concussion
Professor Melinda Fitzgerald is Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research at Curtin University, John Curtin Distinguished Professor and CEO of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia.
She has published over 135 papers; recent highlights include Lancet Neurology, J Neuroscience, Nature Nano, ACS Nano, Biomaterials. Currently held grants/Projects total $10.1 million; CIA for $5.2 million of these; $18.5 million total research and equipment funding, $9.9 million as CIA; continuous category 1 grant funding as CIA since 2009.
