CVMM Rising Stars: Meet Anupama Thabrew
CVMM Rising Star Anupama presented part of her PhD research at the CVMM Symposium, receiving the People's Choice Award.
Published on the 17 July 2025
Tell us a bit about yourself!聽
I鈥檓 a PhD student at the Centre for Big Data Research in Health (CBDRH), 麻豆社madou Sydney, working under the supervision of Prof. Louisa Jorm and Dr. Md Shajedur Rahman Shawon. I completed my BSc in Physical Science and MSc in Applied Statistics at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
What鈥檚 your research all about, and what鈥檚 the most exciting part for you?聽聽
My PhD research investigates sex differences in cardiovascular care and outcomes related to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Australia using linked administrative data. I examine medication use prior to ACS, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and revascularization procedures. This will help identify disparities in care and outcomes between men and women across key stages of the ACS patient journey. I use both New South Wales (NSW) and national datasets to explore these differences. The findings aim to strengthen the evidence base by providing a comprehensive understanding of how sex influences management and outcomes in ACS care.
Is there a recent achievement that you鈥檇 like to share?
I presented part of my PhD research at the 2025 Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine (CVMM) Symposium, highlighting key findings on sex differences in ED care and health outcomes among adults presenting with ACS to EDs. I was honoured to receive the People鈥檚 Choice Award at the event.
As an ECR, what鈥檚 been one of your biggest challenges, and how did you tackle it?聽
One of my biggest challenges as an ECR has been transitioning into health research as an international PhD student with a non-medical background. Coming from a BSc in Physical Science and an MSc in Applied Statistics, I initially found it difficult to grasp clinical concepts and terminology. I tackled this by actively engaging in symposiums, webinars, and workshops, and connecting with researchers and fellow PhD students from related fields. These interactions helped me bridge knowledge gaps, gain valuable insights, and build the confidence needed to contribute meaningfully to interdisciplinary research in cardiovascular health.
What activities keep you inspired and energised?聽
A proper work-life balance keeps me energized. I stay inspired by reading research papers on current trends, watching documentaries and news, and enjoying music and dancing. I鈥檓 also a big foodie who loves spontaneous road trips, cars, and am a big fan of Formula 1 racing.
Anupama Thabrew (4th from left) receives her award at the 2025 CVMM Symposium.