Erin Howden

Dr. Erin Howden serves as an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Baker Department of Cardiovascular Research, Translation and Implementation, affiliated with La Trobe University. Her research program bridges cardiovascular physiology, exercise science, and clinical medicine, with particular emphasis on understanding cardiac adaptation mechanisms in diverse populations including those with obesity, cancer, and Long COVID.

Dr. Howden's research interests focus on cardiovascular responses to exercise, examining how the heart adapts to various stressors including obesity, cancer treatments, and viral infections. Her work employs advanced methodologies such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography, and molecular analysis to investigate cardiac remodeling, exercise intolerance mechanisms, and potential therapeutic interventions. A significant portion of her recent work explores cardio-oncology, investigating how exercise can mitigate cardiovascular complications from cancer treatments.

Analysis of Dr. Howden's publication record reveals a strong trajectory in translational cardiovascular research, with recent work spanning obesity-related cardiac adaptation, Long COVID cardiovascular sequelae, exercise interventions in cancer survivors, and molecular mechanisms of exercise benefits in genetic cardiomyopathies. Her research demonstrates consistent collaboration across cardiology, oncology, and exercise physiology domains, often addressing clinically relevant questions with immediate implications for patient care.

Dr. Howden maintains active research collaborations across multiple institutions, frequently working with interdisciplinary teams to address complex cardiovascular questions. Her current work suggests ongoing commitment to understanding exercise as medicine across diverse patient populations, with particular focus on vulnerable groups including cancer survivors and those with post-viral syndromes.