Biography
Associate Professor Koya Ozawa is a distinguished Japanese physician-scientist at the forefront of cardiovascular research. Currently based at the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW (The University of New South Wales), he is dedicated to translational research, leveraging innovative non-invasive imaging techniques to advance our understanding and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Associate Professor Ozawa's research focuses on elucidating the...view more
Associate Professor Koya Ozawa is a distinguished Japanese physician-scientist at the forefront of cardiovascular research. Currently based at the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW (The University of New South Wales), he is dedicated to translational research, leveraging innovative non-invasive imaging techniques to advance our understanding and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Associate Professor Ozawa's research focuses on elucidating the fundamental mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. He utilizes a suite of advanced imaging modalities, including ultrasound molecular imaging, echocardiography, CT, and PET, to investigate critical areas such as atherosclerosis, the function of von Willebrand factor (vWF), and platelet adhesion. His work aims to pave the way for earlier diagnosis and personalized therapies.
A graduate of clinical training in Japan, Associate Professor Ozawa expanded his expertise as a research fellow at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in the United States, with his research supported by prestigious grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Manpei Suzuki Diabetes Foundation. He has been recognized as a Young Investigator Award finalist by leading international bodies, including the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), and the Japanese Society of Echocardiography.
At UNSW, Associate Professor Ozawa is an integral part of the cardiovascular research community, collaborating closely with leading institutions such as the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research to translate scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
My Grants
Grant Record (Active in the Last 5 Years with Program Names)
NSW Health (Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program)
Grant Program: NSW Elite Postdoctoral Researcher Grant Period: April 2023 – March 2026
Amount: 998,972.00 AUD
Project Title: Novel therapeutic application of Ultrasound and microbubble to treat heart attack
NSW Health (Translational Research Grants Scheme - TRGS)
Period: June 2022 – December 2025
Amount: 498,663.63 AUD, Role: AI
Project Title: The REDUCE Trial: REstoring microvascular circulation with Diagnostic Ultrasound and Contrast agEnt
National Heart Foundation of Australia (Vanguard Grant)
Period: July 2023 – June 2025
Amount: 150,000.00 AUD
Project Title: Novel Therapeutic Application of Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and Microbubble to Treat Heart Attack
National Heart Foundation of Australia (Vanguard Grant)
Period: January 2025 – December 2025
Amount: 75,000.00 AUD
Project Title: Novel Therapeutic Application of Ultrasound and Microbubbles to Treat Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Japanese Society of Echocardiography
Period: April 2020 – December 2020
Amount: 500,000.00 JPY
Project Title: Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Molecular Imaging for Platelets adhesion and Inflammation
My Qualifications
Academic Degrees
PhD: Chiba University, Japan
MD: Tottori University, Japan
Current & Recent Positions Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales (commencing February 2025)
Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Sydney
Principal Hospital Scientist at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Research Fellow at the Ingham Institute
Assistant staff scientist at Oregon Health & Science University (-2021)
Research Fellow at Oregon Health & Science University (April 2016 - March 2021)
Professional Fellowships & Designations
A/Prof Ozawa's expertise is recognized through fellowship status in numerous prestigious international organizations:
FACC: Fellow of the American College of Cardiology
FESC: Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology
FAHA: Fellow of the American Heart Association
FASE: Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography
FEACVI: Fellow of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging
FCSANZ: Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand
FAPSC: Fellow of the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology
FJSIM: Fellow of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
My Awards
Associate Professor Ozawa has received numerous honors from leading cardiovascular societies in the United States, Europe, and Japan, highlighting the international impact and quality of his research.
Best Presentation Award - The 6th JCS Council Forum on Basic CardioVascular Research (2022)
This award is conferred upon the single most outstanding basic science talk at the Japanese Circulation Society's annual forum. It was awarded in recognition of his research elucidating a novel mechanism where deficient ADAMTS13 activity drives secondary cardiovascular events.
Top Investigator Grant Award - American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) 32nd Annual Scientific Sessions (2021)
This competitive ASE award recognizes investigators whose work spans basic science and clinical translation.
Cardiovascular Imaging Award (1st Prize) - The 84th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS) (2020)
This national distinction honors the single best cardiovascular imaging presentation at the JCS annual meeting, establishing him as a leading authority in Japanese cardiac ultrasound research.
Young Investigator Award (YIA) - European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) (2019) finalist
This prestigious award from Europe's premier cardiovascular imaging forum recognized his research providing the first in-vivo ultrasound molecular images of VWF-mediated platelet adhesion.
Arthur E. Weyman Young Investigator's Award (YIA) - American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) (2019) finalist
This prestigious international award recognizes the top four echocardiography studies presented at the ASE annual meeting. His presentation on molecular imaging of microvascular thrombo-inflammation validated his innovative targeted microbubble approach.
Mentorship Excellence
Under A/Prof Ozawa's supervision, several early-career researchers have also achieved international recognition for their work.
His PhD student, Dr. Prajith Jeyaprakash, was selected as a finalist for the American Society of Echocardiography's (ASE) Arthur E. Weyman Young Investigator's Award Competition in 2022.
He mentored Matthew Muller, who won the prestigious 2022 ASE Alan S. Pearlman Research Award for his presentation on their collaborative research.
My Research Activities
Associate Professor Koya Ozawa's research is centered on "translational research," bridging fundamental scientific discoveries with practical clinical applications. His approach spans from elucidating molecular mechanisms at the cellular level, to validation in mouse models, and further to pre-clinical studies in large animal models that closely mimic human physiology. Ultimately, his work culminates in conducting Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to rigorously establish the efficacy and safety of new therapies in a clinical setting.