Month: June 2024

Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute

Professor Barbara Casadei, MD DPhil FRCP FMedSci, has accepted the appointment of Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) for a term of five years, and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, with effect from 1 October 2024.

Professor Casadei holds the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford and is an Honorary Consultant in Cardiovascular Medicine at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Professor Casadei is a Steering Committee Member of the Oxford BHF Centre for Research Excellence and Lead of the Cardiovascular Theme of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. She has been in the Board of Trustees of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain & Ireland, since 2021.

Professor Casadei has served on several other senior roles within the University of Oxford such as Lead of the Myocardial Biology Theme of the Oxford BHF Centre of Research Excellence and Deputy Head of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.

She was Elected President of the European Society of Cardiology in 2018 and served until 2020. She served as Board member of the World Heart Federation (2020-22).

Professor Casadei was elected Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedsci), in 2013. She was awarded the Honorary International Fellowship of the American Heart Association (FAHA), in 2018 and was awarded both The Gold Medal of the European Society of Cardiology, and The Mackenzie Medal of the British Cardiovascular Society, in 2020.  

Professor Casadei will take over from Professor Clare Lloyd who, as Interim Head of the NHLI, has been responsible for introducing many improvements and innovations, providing strategic vision, direction, and leadership to the Institute.

Extension of Terms of Offices within Faculty of Medicine

Professor Marina Botto FMedSci has accepted an extension to her term of office as Head of the Department of Immunology and Inflammation, in the Faculty of Medicine, by a further three years, until 31 July 2027.

Professor Botto is also the Interim Head of the Department of Brain Sciences and will continue so until we recruit the permanent Head. Professor Botto holds a Chair in Rheumatology in the Department of Immunology and Inflammation and also serves as Director of Bioservices at Imperial. Professor Botto’s clinical work is based at Hammersmith Hospital.

Professor Botto’s research focuses on how complement deficiency contributes to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Professor Mark Thursz has accepted an extension to his term of office as Head of the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, in the Faculty of Medicine, by a further three years, until 31 July 2027.

Mark Thursz is Professor of Hepatology in the Department. His clinical work is based at the St Mary’s Hospital. He has held many senior roles within the Department and Faculty, including currently Director Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Research Director, Head of Division of Digestive Diseases within the Department, and previously was St Mary’s Campus Director.

Professor Thursz’ research interests are focussed on alcohol-related liver disease, MAFLD and viral hepatitis.

Professor Wendy Barclay CBE  FMedSci has accepted an extension to her term of office as Head of the Department of Infectious Disease, in the Faculty of Medicine, by a further year, until 31 July 2025.

Professor Barclay holds the Action Medical Research Chair in Virology within the Department.

Professor Barclay’s expertise is in the field of respiratory viruses, in particular influenza viruses. Her studies aim to understand the molecular and cellular basis of the pathogenesis, host range restrictions and transmissibility of influenza viruses.

Professor Barclay was awarded a CBE for her contributions to the study of viruses and her research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Clare Lloyd FMedSci has accepted an extension to her term of office as Vice-Dean (Institutional Affairs) for the Faculty of Medicine, by a further two years, until 31 May 2026.

Professor Lloyd holds the Chair in Respiratory Immunology in the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) and was the NHLI’s first Institute Lead for Women from 2008-2014. Professor Lloyd has been the Interim Head of the NHLI since June 2023 and will continue in this interim role until the new Head of NHLI takes up the post.

Her research focuses on the development and regulation of immune responses in the lung, particularly the inception of allergic immunity in early life.