The Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease (CICMD) is pleased to announce that Shu Niu, a graduate student in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, has received a Predoctoral Fellowship from the American Heart Association (AHA).
The highly competitive, two-year fellowship will support Niu’s research focused on understanding the cardiovascular risks associated with cancer immunotherapy and identifying strategies to protect long-term heart health in cancer survivors. Her work addresses a growing public health concern, as the population of cancer survivors in the United States is projected to exceed 22 million by 2032, with cardiovascular disease representing the leading cause of non-cancer-related mortality in this group.
Niu’s research centers on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a widely used class of immunotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. While ICIs have significantly improved cancer outcomes, their potential cardiotoxic effects remain poorly understood. Using Medicare data and advanced causal inference methods, Niu will investigate cardiovascular outcomes associated with ICI treatment and evaluate whether statin therapy may offer cardioprotective benefits for patients receiving these therapies.
“This award is a profound affirmation of my work,” Niu said. “It will allow me to strengthen my research skills, expand my analytical expertise, and ultimately contribute to improving cardiovascular risk monitoring and long-term outcomes for cancer survivors.”
The fellowship provides more than $70,000 in research support over two years and will further Niu’s training under the mentorship of Steven M. Smith, Pharm.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy and Co-Director of CICMD.
“Dr. Smith’s mentorship has been instrumental in shaping my development as a researcher,” Niu shared. “His guidance has helped me think more critically, refine my scientific questions, and approach research with clarity and confidence.”
CICMD congratulates Shu Niu on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to the impact her work will have on advancing cardiovascular health in cancer survivorship.