Barbara Riegel, professor emerita in the School of Nursing, is set to receive the 2025 Clinical Research Prize from the American Heart Association in November.
Riegel — the Emerita Edith Clemmer Steinbright Professor of Gerontology — will receive this award at the AHA’s Scientific Sessions 2025 in recognition of her research in self-care science. The AHA grants the prize to scientists whose research plays a significant role in advancing cardiovascular science and who lead distinguished laboratories in cardiovascular clinical research.
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award from the American Heart Association,” Riegel said in the Penn Nursing announcement. “I have spent my career focused on research aiming to make a true impact on those living with heart disease and other chronic illnesses. Focusing on self-care for patients and their caregivers has been my priority for many years, and I am humbled by this prestigious recognition and look forward to continuing to support the association.”
Riegel’s recent research was published in the AHA’s Circulation: Heart Failure journal and focused on the self-care of unpaid individuals acting as caregivers for adults living with chronic heart failure. Through a randomized controlled trial, Riegel created a “virtual health coaching intervention” to assist domestic caregivers with managing different medications, dealing with variable symptoms, and promoting general wellness, while also helping them navigate the stresses that come with this role.
The trial facilitated 10 support sessions over video call with caregivers, with each session focused on the physical and mental impact of being a carer. A separate control group, which only received support through a web page, was monitored alongside the coached intervention group.
After this six-month trial period, the study revealed that the coached intervention group had attained improved scores in stress and self-care as compared to the control group.
Riegel is also the co-director of the International Center for Self-Care Research, in association with Sweden’s Linköping University. This organization was established to coordinate research in self-care and close the gap in knowledge that surrounds this field of science. By stimulating international cooperation in self-care science, the center aims to build a complete and international wealth of resources.
Riegel is most renowned for her globally recognized Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, an evaluative tool that assesses how people with chronic heart failure manage symptoms. Having been tested and refined since its inception in 2004, the index has become commonplace in both academic and practical contexts.
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Penn’s Seymour Gray Professor of Molecular Medicine Daniel Rader won the AHA’s 2012 Clinical Research Prize for his research on the metabolism of fat particles in blood and their relation to atherosclerosis.
In 2009, Riegel was named as one of the “Top 10 Cardiovascular Scientists” by the AHA’s Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. Her other accolades from the University include the Claire M. Fagin Distinguished Researcher Award and the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women Award for her mentorship work.
Last year, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that Riegel is the sixth-most cited Penn-affiliated researcher.
