Cardiovascular research has been a major strength of the Leicester Medical School since its inception.  In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise 95% of the cardiovascular research in Leicester was considered to be of international level, over half the submitted outputs ranked as outstanding or excellent and one in seven of the submitted research outputs ranked as world-leading.

The Department of Cardiovascular Sciences undertakes research ranging from molecular and cellular studies, all the way through translational research and into clinical studies. The strong links with the NHS were highlighted in the Research Assessment Exercise. This has been further recognised recently by the award of a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) in Cardiovascular Disease to a partnership of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHLT) and the University of Leicester. The BRU has developed a state-of-the art clinical research facility for detailed cardiovascular assessment at Glenfield Hospital and plans to also develop a research informatics centre and a Biobank to facilitate research including genomics research. UHLT have also been awarded a 3.0 Tesla MRI machine by the NIHR to facilitate cardiovascular research.

Major areas of research in the Department include: cardiovascular genetics, vascular biology, hypertension and vascular damage, thrombosis and haemostasis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke and baroreceptor regulation, cardiac arrhythmias, carotid and peripheral vascular disease, myocardial protection and regeneration, biomarkers and diagnostics, and diabetes.

The Department is organised into four Research Sections to mirror cardiovascular sub-themes in the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology. These are:

You can also learn more about how our research is being used to improve clinical outcomes and about our links with industry. 

The department also hosts an Ophthalmology research group. 

Biomedical Research Unit (BRU)
Core Biotechnology Services (CBS)