Professor Gerry McCann appointed British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology

The University of Leicester is proud to announce that Professor Gerry McCann has been awarded the distinguished title of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Professor of Cardiology, supported by a five‑year award of £1.265 million. 

This landmark appointment recognises Professor McCann’s exceptional contributions to cardiovascular science and marks a significant investment in Leicester’s reputation as a world‑leading centre for heart research.

Professor Tom Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Head of College and Dean of Medicine at the University of Leicester said: “Professor McCann is widely regarded as one of the UK’s foremost academic cardiologists and is recognised for his pioneering use of cardiac MRI to understand and diagnose heart disease. 

“His work has shaped global clinical practice in areas including coronary disease, acute coronary syndromes, aortic stenosis and heart failure. We are incredibly proud of Professor McCann for being awarded the BHF Professorship, which will further strengthen Leicester’s capabilities in advanced cardiac imaging, precision medicine and early‑stage translational research.”

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to announce Gerry McCann as a BHF Professor of Cardiology. During his career Professor McCann has established himself as an excellent researcher, pushing the boundaries of how imaging can be used to help diagnose and study heart conditions. 

“We have supported his research for nearly two decades and we are excited to see this award expand his work, enabling him to continue improving the lives of heart patients.

“Professor McCann is the first to be awarded funding through our refreshed BHF Research Professorship scheme. These awards, made over a maximum of ten years, are a pivotal part of our new strategy to build capacity in cardiovascular research and support exceptional leadership. Professor McCann, along with BHF Professors yet to be appointed, will champion and provide strategic leadership in cardiovascular research across the UK in the coming years.”

Professor of Cardiac Imaging at the University of Leicester, and BHF Professor of Cardiology, Gerry McCann, said: “I am incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious award from the British Heart Foundation.  It recognises the excellent work we have done over the last 15 years and will be a springboard for our research going forward.

“Through it, we plan to focus on identifying early markers of disease, develop advanced imaging tools, and accelerate new treatments for conditions such as diabetes‑related heart failure, aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease. 

“By bringing together clinical data, imaging, proteomics, genomics and machine learning, we aim to revolutionise how patients at risk of cardiovascular disease are identified, monitored and treated. Our ultimate goal is to improve the care of thousands of future patients with heart disease.”

Professor McCann’s leadership roles, including his position as Theme Lead for Cardiovascular research at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and Intervention Theme Lead for the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence, mean that the benefits of the Professorship will extend across national infrastructure. 

He will continue to benefit from Leicester’s state‑of‑the‑art facilities, including the BHF Clinical Research Centre, a 3T MRI research scanner, the NIHR Clinical Research Facility and the Van Geest Biomarker Laboratory. 

Together, these resources provide the environment necessary for rapid translation of novel imaging techniques and therapeutic approaches into clinical practice.