Rate My Professor Sonia Shah

Shah's research harnesses large-scale genomic data to bridge knowledge gaps in cardiovascular disease, with a focus on improving prevention, management, and treatment equity for women and diverse ancestries. She leads the South Asian Genes and Health in Australia (SAGHA) study to enhance representation of South Asians in genomic research and collaborates on initiatives such as the AMBER study examining antidepressant mechanisms and genomic assessments for liver transplants. Key publications include the seminal heart failure GWAS (Shah et al., Nature Communications, 2020), polygenic contributions to familial hypercholesterolemia influencing UK NICE guidelines (Talmud et al., The Lancet, 2013), and genome-wide DNA methylation analyses predicting health outcomes (Marioni et al., Genome Biology, 2015; Shah et al., American Journal of Human Genetics, 2015). Her work has shaped clinical practices, including polygenic testing in UK diagnostics and citations in the NHS Chief Medical Officer's genomics report. Shah's accolades encompass the 2024 Australian Academy of Science Ruth Stephens Gani Medal for genetics research, 2023 Nature Inspiring Women in Science global finalist and Lifesciences QLD Rose-Anne Kelso Award, 2022 Queensland Young Tall Poppy and UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards, and 2021/2022 Superstar of STEM recognition. She serves on the HERMES executive committee, advancing international collaborations in heart failure genetics.