Our History and Mission
The Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences (CICS) was established in 2009 by a collaboration agreement between the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA) and Kowa Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan).
The goals of CICS are to promote better understanding of the mechanisms of cardiovascular inflammation and cardiometabolic disorders and to enhance further advancement in cardiovascular prevention and therapy through a translational research program that consists of investigators from academia and industry with multidisciplinary backgrounds acting in concert in a shared space.
Featured Scientist: Dr. Yuto Nakamura
Areas of Expertise: Immunology, Pharmacology, Genetic Engineering
Yuto Nakamura, PhD, is a Research Fellow in the Masanori Aikawa Group. His research bridges cardiovascular biology, immunology, pharmacology, and translational science, with a focus on understanding how immune and inflammatory mechanisms drive disease and identifying new therapeutic opportunities.Since joining CICS in 2021, he has focused on human-centered target discovery and functional validation. His work integrates primary immune cells, disease models, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, proteomics, and other omic approaches to identify disease-associated pathways and test their causal relevance. A major focus is macrophage biology and innate immune signaling in cardiovascular disease. What motivates him most is connecting discoveries across disciplines. He views technologies such as genome editing and proteomics not as endpoints, but as tools to determine which biological mechanisms are truly important in human disease and worth pursuing therapeutically. His recent work spans macrophage activation, atherosclerosis, calcific aortic valve disease, and systems-level characterization of macrophages.
He has authored or co-authored 8 scientific publications at CICS, including three as first or co-first author. He received first place in the CICS Innovation Award in both 2024 and 2025 and was selected for an oral presentation at the 2024 and 2026 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
CICS News
September 05, 2026
Dr. Sasha A. Singh presents at ICOMES 2026 in Seoul, South Korea.
Dr. Singh presented the latest in mass spectrometry-enabled proteomics at the 2026 International Congress on Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome hosted by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO).
August 28th, 2025
Dr. Elena Aikawa imparts calcification wisdom at ESC 2025
Dr. Elena Aikawa represented BWH, Harvard Medical School, and CICS with a fabulous presentation at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting in Madrid, Spain, inspiring a broad audience of fellow cardiology enthusiasts with the incredible power of various omics tools.
April 23rd, 2025
Dr. Elena Aikawa recognized with Outstanding Mentorship of Women Award at ATVB Vascular Discovery
Co-Director of CICS and world leader in the field of cardiovascular calcification Prof. Elena Aikawa is awarded the Outstanding Mentorship of Women Award from the ATVB Women's Leadership Council of the American Heart Association at this week's Vascular Discovery conference in Baltimore. Thank you for being a driving force behind progress for women in science! Your commitment to uplifting women in the field and fostering equity and representation in the scientific community are truly inspiring.
April 22nd, 2025
Dr. Masanori Aikawa delivers a lecture for the Society for Vascular Surgery
Masanori Aikawa, CICS Founding Director, delivered a lecture at the 2025 Translational Panel during the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference of the Society for Vascular Surgery in Baltimore, held in conjunction with the American Heart Association's Vascular Discovery 2025.
April 20th, 2025
CICS @HVS25
CICS directors Elena Aikawa and Masanori Aikawa were joined by fellows Rachel Cahalane and Cassandra Clift as well as research scientist Mark Blaser this week at the Heart Valve Society Annual Meeting in Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Rachel Cahalane, Marie Curie fellow mentored by Elena Aikawa, won the Valve Biology & Native Calcific Aortic Valve Disease Abstract Competition for her work entitled "Multidimensional Proteomic Assessment of Bioprosthetic Structural Valve Degeneration and Native Calcific Aortic Valve Disease. Dr. Cassandra Clift, another fellow in Elena Aikawa's lab, took home Best Oral Presentation for "Cross-Species Proteomics Applied to Explanted Cardiovascular Biomaterials Enables Distinction of Donor Versus Host Extracellular Matrix Profiling in Bioprosthetic Implants". Dr. Mark Blaser, yet another one of Elena Aikawa's scientists, was invited to share his expertise on congenital valve disease with a presentation entitled "Heart Valve Structure and Function in Development and Disease". Dr. Elena Aikawa not only shared her expertise on Rheumatic heart disease but also was invited to serve on the board of HVS. Finally, the one and only Founding Director of CICS Dr. Masanori Aikawa traveled alongside his brilliant scientists, supporting them throughout!
November 18th, 2024
CICS @AHA24
CICS directors Elena Aikawa, Masanori Aikawa, and Sasha Singh led their mentees Rachel Cahalane, Sarvesh Chelvanambi, Cassandra Clift, Constance Delwarde, Prabhash Jha, Yuto Nakamura, and Mandy Turner at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024, where they found themselves amongst like-minded scientists united with the same mission of freeing the world of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Our directors and scientists gave incredible presentations, emphasizing the importance of basic science in saving lives. Highlights included Masanori Aikawa's Russell Ross Memorial Lectureship and awarding of the ATVB travel grants to Sarvesh Chelvanambi, Constance Delwarde, and Prabhash Jha, as well as meals and laughs shared together.
November 17th, 2024
Dr. Masanori Aikawa awarded the annual Russell Ross Memorial Lectureship
Our very own Dr. Masanori Aikawa delivered the prestigious Russell Ross Memorial Lectureship, one of three named lectures presented annually at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions. It was established to recognize outstanding contributions to vascular biology and atherosclerosis research and named after Dr. Russell Ross, whose groundbreaking work profoundly shaped the understanding of atherosclerosis pathogenesis. Dr. Aikawa presented his life's work dedicated to the study of vascular biology and employing a novel approach in doing so. We celebrate this great honor and historical moment, as Dr. Aikawa becomes the first Asian individual to receive this lectureship. He was presented with his honorary plaque at the ATVB Council's business meeting and luncheon. Congratulations to Dr. Masanori Aikawa, an inspiration to vascular biologists worldwide!
October 25th, 2024
Inaugural CICS Omics Day
We are thrilled to share the success of our first-ever "Omics Day," which featured a compelling keynote address by Dr. Hooman Mirzakhani, M.D., Ph.D.. Dr. Mirzakhawni, a network scientist at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, showcased how network-based approaches can illuminate complex biological systems. He highlighted exciting opportunities for translating omics data into therapeutic discoveries.
Following his talk, representatives from CICS shared updates on their projects, sparking discussions on collaborative prospects.
We are excited to build on the momentum of this inaugural event. Hosting regular Omics Days will deepen our understanding of the rapidly evolving world of omics and foster new collaborations that could shape the future of our research. We can't wait to see where this journey takes us!
October 21st, 2024
Dr. Masanori Aikawa Gives a Talk at Cardiovascular Medicine Grand Rounds
Dr. Masanori Aikawa, co-Director and founder of CICS, was invited to present at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Cardiovascular Medicine Grand Rounds this afternooon. His talk, titled "A path to Precision Medicine for Vascular Diseases: A Focus on Macrophage Heterogeneity," highlighted cutting-edge approaches to understanding and treating vascular conditions.
Dr. Aikawa's presentation covered a range of important topics related to macrophages, including the role of macrophage heterogeneity in cardiovascular disease. He delved into emerging researh on the impact of macrophages in long COVID, HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART), and more, providing insights into how these conditions impact vascular health. Dr. Aikawa discussed a systems approach to research and target discovery, emphasizing the potential for precision medicine in developing more effective treatments for vascular diseases.
Dr. Masanori Aikawa's talk was educational and inspiring, demonstrating to the audience just how powerful a systems approach can be in advancing research and uncovering new possibilities for precision medicine. The talk attracted new attention to upcoming research initiatives from both Dr. Aikawa's labs, sparking interest and enthusiasm within the community.
October 11th, 2024
Dr. Elena Aikawa Presents at the First International Symposium on Cardiovascular Calcification
CICS PI Dr. Elena Aikawa gave a talk at the First International Symposium on Cardiovascular Calcification, held in Nice, France. This prestigious event brought together leading researchers and clinicians from around the world to discuss the latest developments in understanding and managing cardiovascular calcification.
Elena's presentation, entitled "The role of calcification in atherosclerotic plaque rupture and aortic valve disease", showcased the innovative work being conducted in our lab. Her contribution highlighted important advances that could have a significant impact on cardiovascular health.
We congratulate Elena on this achievement and look forward to further developments from her research!
October 8th, 2024
Dr. Masanori Aikawa Selected to Deliver Prestigious Alexander W. Clowes Distinguished Lecture at ISACB 2024
Dr. Masanori Aikawa was honored with the pretigious opportunity to deliver the Alexander W. Clowes Distinguished Lecture at the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology (ISACB) 2024 conference. This annual lecture commemorates the late Alec Clowes, a professor of surgery at the University of Washington and a renowned vascular surgeon-scientist whose pioneering work greatly influenced the field.
Dr. Aikawa, an esteemed figure in cardiovascular research, presented a lecture titled "Macrophage Activation and Heterogeneity in Vascular Diseases: A Systems Approach to Target Discovery." His talk delved into the critical roles of macrophages in vascular health and disease, shedding light on their heterogenous functions and potential as targets for therapeutic intervention.
This lecture is particularly significant, as it highlights cutting-edge research into the mechanistic roles of macrophages in vascular diseases, a topic that promises to advance our understanding and treatment of these conditions. Dr. Aikawa's work stands as a tribute to Dr. Clowes's legacy, emphasizing the continued importance of innovation and discovery in vascular surgery and related scientific disciplines.
October 5th, 2024
Dr. Elena Aikawa's Talk and Award Presentation at ISACB 2024
On the morning of October 6th, Dr. Elena Aikawa delivered her talk, "How to Succeed in Academic Medicine?" and presented the inaugural Elena Aikawa Trailblazer Award to Dr. Ngan Huang from Stanford at the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology (ISACB) Biennial Meeting in Vienna, Austria.
The award is named in honor of Dr. Elena Aikawa in recognition of her scientific accomplishments and dedication to mentoring female and underrepresented scientists. The Trailblazer Award recognizes a female member of ISACB who is at a mid-career stage and has made substantial contributions to the field of applied cardiovascular research and to the ISACB community.
Dr. Ngan Huang's laboratory investigates the interactions between stem cells and the extracellular matrix microenvironment for engineering cardiovascular tissues to treat cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. Her recent research focuses on the role of microgravity for drug screening of engineered muscle tissue.
Congratulations Dr. Huang on receiving this well-deserved recognition, and to Dr. Elena Aikawa for her outstanding contributions that inspired this honor! We would also like to extend our gratitude to ISACB for establishing this award to celebrate excellence and leadership in cardiovascular research.
October 5th, 2024
An Autumn Weekend in Vienna: Dr. Sasha Singh's Invited Lecture at ISACB 2024
This past weekend, on the afternoon of October 5th, CICS's Director of Proteomics Research Dr. Sasha Singh traveled to Vienna, Austria to deliver an invited lecture titled "Proteomics of Cardiovascular and Heart Valve Diseases: Changing Dogmas, Establishing New Concepts, & Facilitating Drug Target Discovery" at the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology (ISACB) Biennial Meeting 2024. Dr. Singh's talk was both inspiring and educational, offering valuable insights into the evolving field of proteomics and its role in cardiovascular research. Her presentation received commendation from attendees for its depth and potential to drive future discoveries in the field. Congratulations Sasha!