Federal Grant Award Summary

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, operating through its Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in Pleasanton, California, received a $193,055 Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) on July 15, 2026. The award supports a K23 career development grant facilitating Dr. Vy Ho's transition to an independent surgeon-informaticist specializing in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) diagnosis, surveillance, and treatment.

The project delivers machine learning-based tools and clinical training to address critical gaps in AAA screening and diagnosis, particularly among underrepresented patient populations including women and non-smokers. Key deliverables include development of machine learning algorithms to predict AAA risk from electronic health records; formal training in computer vision for cardiovascular risk prediction, AAA risk factors in underrepresented populations, and decision curve analysis; quantification of current AAA diagnostic performance; and stakeholder-informed intervention strategies to optimize real-world clinical implementation. The award supports the recipient through the project completion date of June 30, 2031, leveraging Kaiser Permanente's integrated healthcare delivery infrastructure, comprehensive electronic health records across 4.5 million diverse members, and established research capabilities in cardiovascular disease research and implementation science.