Senior appointments

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.

Read Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute in full

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.

Read Extension of Terms of Offices within Faculty of Medicine in full

Professor Marina Botto FMedSci has accepted an appointment as Interim Head of the Department of Brain Sciences with effect from 8 April 2024 for a period of six months, in the first instance. This is to succeed the current Head of the Department, Professor Paul Matthews, who is taking up the post of Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, in Cambridge.

(more…)

Read Interim Head of the Department of Brain Sciences in full

Professor Deborah Ashby has accepted the appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, for a term of five years, effective from 1 January 2024.  Professor Ashby has been the interim Dean since 1 August 2023 following Professor Jonathan Weber’s retirement as Dean. 

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine is responsible for all aspects of the Faculty’s strategy, operations and finances. As Dean, Professor Ashby will also be a member of Imperial’s Council and its University Management Board (UMB).  

(more…)

Read Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in full

Professor Neil Ferguson has accepted appointment as Director of the School of Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine, with effect from 1 August 2023 for a term of five years.    

Reporting to the Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor Ferguson will provide strategic vision, direction and leadership to the School of Public Health and will ensure that appropriate plans, management and governance structures and practices are in place.  

(more…)

Read Director of the School of Public Health in full

Professor Clare Lloyd FMedSci, has accepted the appointment of Interim Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) with effect from 1 June 2023, for an initial period of six months, or until a new Head is identified and appointed. 

Professor Lloyd joined Imperial in 1999 as a Welcome Senior Research Fellow, and was promoted to Professor of Respiratory Immunology in 2006. She was the NHLI’s first Institute Lead for Women from 2008-2014. Professor Lloyd is currently Vice-Dean (Institutional Affairs) for the Faculty of Medicine. 

(more…)

Read Interim Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) in full

Professor Neena Modi has accepted appointment as Vice-Dean (International Activities) for the Faculty of Medicine, for a period of three years from 1 April 2023. 

As a member of the Faculty of Medicine’s senior leadership team, the Vice-Dean (International Activities) reports to and works closely with the Dean. They lead the Faculty’s international partnership activities in research and education, including activities related to the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The Vice Dean (International Activities) sits on the Faculty Management Board and plays a key role in identifying and determining Faculty of Medicine strategy, especially on prospective and ongoing international partnerships. Where appropriate, they will deputise for the Dean with regards to these activities.

(more…)

Read Vice-Dean (International Activities) for the Faculty of Medicine in full

Dr Emma Keeling has accepted appointment as Associate Dean for Educational Partnerships for the Faculty of Medicine for a period of three years from 1 March 2023.

Reporting to the Vice-Dean (Education) for the Faculty of Medicine, in this role Dr Keeling will be responsible for developing new educational partnerships expanding Imperial’s national and international educational offering outside of West London. Dr Keeling will provide strategic and operational oversight of the Cumbria School of Medicine project up until its formal opening and will be responsible for the ongoing relationship with the Nanyang Technological University Singapore, through the joint Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

(more…)

Read Associate Dean for Educational Partnerships for the Faculty of Medicine in full

Professor Graham Cooke has accepted appointment as Vice-Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine, with effect from 1 March 2023, for a period of three years.

As a member of the Faculty of Medicine’s senior leadership team, the Vice-Dean (Research) works closely with the Dean: sitting on the Faculty Management Board, chairing the Faculty Research Committee, and holding responsibility for communicating and promoting research collaboration internally and externally.

(more…)

Read Vice-Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine in full