University of Western Australia cardiologist University of Western Australia Professor Girish Dwivedi has been named Researcher of the Year at the 2026 South Metropolitan Health Service Excellence Awards, in recognition of his contributions to cardiovascular science, translational research, and AI-driven cardiac imaging.
Professor Dwivedi, who is affiliated with UWA Medical School and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, also serves as a consultant cardiologist at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
The award highlights his role in advancing patient care for people with complex and long-term health conditions.
The South Metropolitan Health Service said his work has strengthened patient-centred care through leadership, collaboration, and innovation. The annual SMHS Excellence Awards honour individuals and teams who improve health outcomes across the region.
His research focuses on cardiovascular disease, advanced imaging techniques, artificial intelligence in cardiology, and translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice. According to UWA, he has helped build one of Australia’s leading AI-cardiology research hubs in partnership with the Department of Computer Science, producing over 50 interdisciplinary publications.
Overall, Professor Dwivedi has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and has secured over $33 million in research funding. His work spans cardiometabolic disease, cardiac imaging, prevention strategies, and clinical innovation.
In 2024, he was part of a team awarded nearly $3 million through the Medical Research Future Fund to develop a national database of coronary CT angiography images. The project aims to train AI systems that can detect early signs of heart attack risk before symptoms appear.
He has also contributed to AI tools developed in collaboration with medtech company Artrya, designed to improve heart attack risk prediction by analysing coronary plaque more accurately than conventional methods.
Accepting the award, Professor Dwivedi said he was humbled and credited his colleagues, students, and collaborators for the achievement.
The recognition reflects not only his academic and clinical contributions but also the growing integration of artificial intelligence into cardiovascular medicine, particularly in improving early diagnosis and prevention of heart disease.