4th Edition of the Young Researchers Symposium Brings Together iHEALTH at the University of Valparaíso
On Friday, July 11, the CIAE Building at the University of Valparaíso hosted a new gathering of the institute’s community, bringing together students and researchers from the three universities that make up the Millennium Institute iHEALTH.
In the fourth edition of this annual event —which brings together undergraduate, master's, and PhD students, as well as young and predoctoral researchers— members of the institute had the opportunity to present the progress of their research to their peers. Presentations followed a dynamic format, including 8-minute oral talks and 5-minute power pitches. The event fostered rich, interdisciplinary feedback from members across the institute’s diverse lines of research.
In addition, attendees were able to learn about the work of two international guest speakers who joined remotely. Dr. Declan O’Reagan, Professor at the Institute of Clinical Sciences at Imperial College London, gave the talk “AI in cardiac imaging-genetics”, exploring how machine learning algorithms can generate precise 3D models of the heart from imaging, and how combining them with genetic data provides insights into cardiac development, the effects of aging, and future health prediction.
Meanwhile, Dr. Julio García Flores, Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Calgary, delivered the talk “A heart puzzle: Should I let it flow?”, sharing his research path in cardiac hemodynamics —from a low-cost artificial heart to clinical studies on aortic valve stenosis and 4D flow MRI. He also spoke about leading an independent research program in Canada and presented recent projects from his team in Calgary.
Reflecting on the experience, Tabita Catalán, a student in the PhD Program in Engineering Sciences at UC, commented: “I found it a very valuable experience. It’s great to have these spaces to catch up on what our peers are working on; knowing what others are doing helps you know who to turn to when facing similar problems. Listening to work from other areas always sparks curiosity and makes you think in ways you hadn’t considered. It’s also a great opportunity to practice listening and presenting in English, which are essential skills in our field.”
