Professor Livia Hool

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Based at The University of Western Australia, Professor Livia Hool joined the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in 2013. Professor Hool decided to pursue a career in heart research after observing how quickly heart attack patients deteriorated to heart failure and death in the Coronary Care Unit.

Trained in electrophysiology, Livia is an expert on the role of the L-type calcium channel, in particular its role in arrhythmias and energetics in the heart. Professor Hool is also currently optimising treatments to help people suffering from ischemic and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, as well as elucidating the mechanisms that contribute to chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis with collaborators in Queensland.

In 2022, Professor Hool was appointed the inaugural Wesfarmers, UWA-VCCRI Chair in Cardiovascular Research and she is working with the Institute to expand its footprint in WA.

She serves on the American Heart Association BCVS Leadership Committee and BCVS Katz Award Committee, she is an elected Treasurer of International Society for Heart Research (ISHR) World Council (2022-25), past President ISHR Australasian section (2013-16; re-elected 2016-19), and Member of ISHR World Council (2013-16; 2016-19; 2019-25).

She is a passionate advocate for medical research funding as Founding Director and Secretary of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (2014- 2019). Professor Hool established and Chairs the Western Australian Cardiovascular Research Alliance (2019 –on).

Professor Hool is also a member of the Expert Advisory Panel to the Australian Government MRFF Cardiovascular Mission and the Heart Foundation of Australia Research Committee. She is a Fellow of the American Heart Association, a Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand and a Fellow of the International Society for Heart Research.