Posted 13 August 2025
Professor André La Gerche recently shared the Heart, Exercise and Research Trials (HEART) Lab’s research findings at a standout seminar with study participants.
The HEART Lab, supported by SVI and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI), delivered the session with both directors in attendance, Professor Tom Kay (SVI) and Professor Jason Kovacic (VCCRI).
The seminar offered participants a unique opportunity to see the impact of their involvement in industry-leading cardiac studies firsthand, while advancing scientific knowledge that shapes the future of heart health for athletes and the wider community.
André’s presentation revealed that atrial fibrillation (AF) is seven times more common in endurance athletes than in community counterparts, a striking prevalence consistent regardless of whether the athlete had retired decades earlier.
The seminar also delivered new insights from the largest-ever study on the female athlete’s heart using cardiac MRI and VO₂ peak assessments, led by cardiologist and researcher Dr Stephanie Rowe. Despite smaller absolute and body-surface-area-indexed chamber sizes, female athletes demonstrated similar heart structure to males when indexed to fat-free mass, and comparable fibrosis rates of 15–20%.
Participants also heard from Dr Guido Claessen, a Belgium-based sports cardiologist and HEART Lab collaborator. Guido shared findings from his own research into exercise training and coronary artery disease.
Both Guido and André are active collaborators within the Pro@Heart consortia, an athlete’s heart study group that investigates the effects of endurance exercise on the heart.
The researchers continue to contribute to projects that aim to deepen understanding of genetic, structural and arrhythmia-promoting adaptations in endurance athletes.
Recognised globally as a leader in sports cardiology, the HEART Lab is advancing understanding at the intersection of physiological adaptation and pathology. Its groundbreaking translational research is driving the mission to make sport safe for all.
Find out more about the HEART Lab