The Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester has been founded on the shoulders of international leaders including Professor John Swales, Professor Sir Peter Bell and Professor David De Bono.
The Department today is led by Professor Nilesh Samani, British Heart Foundation Chair of Cardiology. The team boasts world leading researchers and clinicians in many areas including genetics, vascular surgery, stent devices, valve replacement, diabetes and hypertension.
Leicester’s reputation as a centre of clinical and academic excellence in cardiovascular medicine continues to flourish. There are many areas in which Leicester has led not only the UK but the world in pioneering new approaches and treatments through research. Some of the leading members of the Department and their recent successes include;

	Professor Nilesh Samani is leading ground-breaking work in understanding the inherited basis of heart diseases. His team have been involved in the discovery of more than 30 genes linked to risk of heart attacks. The findings are providing new approaches for predicting and treating heart disease.
	Professor Bryan Williams is recognised as one of the leading experts worldwide in high blood pressure and the research and clinical team at Leicester are designated a “European Centre of Excellence in Hypertension".
	Professor Tony Gershlick carried out some of the first trials of stents for coronary disease which has changed clinical practice world-wide and now avoids or delays the need for bypass surgery for many patients. He is now leading work using the first drug releasing bioabsorbable stents.
	Professor Ross Naylor and his team, have made the surgical procedure of carotid endarterectomy, that is used to prevent strokes much safer. The techniques they have pain-stakingly developed are used by vascular surgeons world-wide.
	Professor Melanie Davies is an internationally respected Professor of Diabetes Medicine and leads a team with National and International expertise in screening, prevention and educational programmes for people both with and at risk of diabetes.
	Leicester was the first place in the UK to replace a diseased aortic valve entirely through arteries and without opening up the chest. Dr Jan Kovac and his colleagues at Glenfield who undertook this pioneering work recently received the highly regarded NHS Innovation Award.
	Professor Tom Robinson is a nationally respected figure in the treatment of stroke and leads major trials on the management of acute stroke and hypertension including CHHIPS (Controlling Hypertension and Hypotension Immediately Post Stroke).
	Professor Alison Goodall is a specialist in the study of thrombotic disease and has expertise in the management of large scale studies of biomarkers and genetics. She will lead the new Leicester Biobank facility.
	Dr Andre Ng is an expert in the management of cardiac arrhythmias especially in catheter ablation and the use of mapping systems. He recently carried out the world’s first heart operation on patients using a new robotic catheter manipulation system. He has a distinguished research profile in investigations into cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia.
	Professor Nick Brindle and his group are international leaders in the field of cellular communication in the cardiovascular system. They are working to develop new ways of growing replacement blood vessels and repairing damaged vessels in patients with vascular and heart disease.

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