Dr. Ilana Golub l Cardiology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ilana S. Golub’s research focuses on advancing cardiovascular imaging, inflammation-related vascular pathology, and innovative diagnostic methodologies that bridge translational science with clinical practice. Her work at Harbor-UCLA and the Lundquist Research Institute, under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Budoff, has centered on the application of computed tomography angiography (CTA) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring as non-invasive diagnostic tools for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Through multiple peer-reviewed publications, she has explored coronary calcification, arterial stiffness, and hemodynamic modeling to refine cardiovascular risk prediction and imaging reproducibility across diverse populations. Her first-author studies, including the highly cited “Major Global Coronary Artery Calcium Guidelines,” have informed global clinical standards for CAC assessment and were recognized among the American College of Cardiology’s Top 10 Content of 2022. Additionally, Dr. Golub has contributed to the understanding of subclinical atherosclerosis, myocardial abnormalities, and cardiac anomalies through advanced imaging analyses involving Q-Angio, Vitrea, and CT-FFR modalities. Her collaborative research in rheumatology has examined dysregulated lipid metabolism and paraoxonase-1 enzyme activity in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, elucidating their cardiovascular implications. Collectively, her interdisciplinary research integrates cardiology, rheumatology, and medical imaging, advancing precision medicine through data-driven insights, imaging-based biomarkers, and evidence-based cardiovascular prevention strategies.