News

Congratulations to Dr Yogini Chudasama, a BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) funded researcher within the populations theme, on publishing her first first-author paper since joining the Centre.

Published in the Journal of Public Health, the study analysed health records from more than one million adults in England living with cardiovascular disease who were diagnosed with COVID-19. The research was led by Yogini alongside colleagues from Leicester and across the UK, with Dr Claire Lawson, BHF CRE Populations Theme Lead, serving as joint senior author, highlighting the Centre's leadership in population health and cardiovascular epidemiology research.

The research examined how the burden of multiple long-term conditions, including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer and depression, influenced mortality risk following COVID-19 infection. Nearly 90% of participants had at least one additional long-term condition and more than two-thirds had two or more. The study found a clear dose-response relationship between multiple long-term conditions and mortality. Compared with people who had cardiovascular disease alone, the risk of death within one year of COVID-19 diagnosis was almost doubled in those with one additional condition, tripled in those with two conditions, and five times higher in those living with three or more additional conditions. This pattern was consistent across all major cardiovascular disease subtypes.

Importantly, the researchers found that differences in survival emerged early after COVID-19 diagnosis, with the steepest decline occurring within the first 30 to 60 days among those living with multiple long-term conditions. This suggests that people with complex health needs may be particularly vulnerable to acute health stressors following infection. The findings have important implications for clinical care and public health, indicating that patients with multiple long-term conditions may benefit from closer monitoring, earlier intervention and prioritisation for preventative care. The authors also highlight the potential value of using simple counts of multiple long-term conditions within electronic health records to identify higher-risk populations, support population health surveillance and inform future healthcare service planning.

Read the research paper

BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence 2nd Annual Symposium

More than 125 delegates from across the College of Life Sciences, together with colleagues from Science and Engineering, came together on 7 September 2026 for the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence 2nd annual symposium. The event celebrated another year of growth for the Centre, showcasing cutting-edge cardiovascular research, interdisciplinary collaboration and the next generation of research talent.

The symposium was opened by the University's Vice-Chancellor before delegates heard an overview of BHF strategy and refreshed funding opportunities from Professor Bryan Williams of the British Heart Foundation. Across the day, researchers presented work spanning the full cardiovascular research pathway, from discovery science through to population health and clinical implementation.

The symposium concluded with the prestigious John Swales Lecture, delivered by Professor Thomas Lüscher, Immediate Past President of the European Society of Cardiology, who explored the growing role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in cardiovascular disease and their potential to transform research, diagnosis and patient care.

Another major highlight of the day was the Poster Showcase, which celebrated the outstanding work of our Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and PhD students. Following judging and delegate voting, the following awards were presented:

🏆 PhD Poster Winner: Natasha Beasley ‘Short-term pre-operative Sodium Valproate reduces myocardial injury’

🥈 PhD Poster Runner-Up: Pooja Soni ‘Sleep Apnoea in Haemodialysis: Improving Detection, Understanding Symptom Burden, and Evaluating Long-Term Treatment Outcomes’

🏆 ECR Poster Winner: Katie Saxby 'Evaluating Polygenic Risk Scores for Sex Hormone-Related and Vascular Traits in Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection’

🥈 ECR Poster Runner-Up: Ellen Liggett ‘Evaluating Antifibrotic Therapies in Fibro-Calcific Activation of Human Aortic Valve Fibroblasts’

⭐ People's Choice Award: Shirley Sze ‘A co-developed holistic pathway for older adults with heart failure, frailty and multiple long-term conditions’

The quality of research on display reflected the continued growth and success of Leicester's cardiovascular research community and highlighted the breadth of research being supported through the BHF Leicester CRE. Congratulations to all prize winners, presenters, speakers, workshop facilitators and delegates who contributed to making the second annual symposium such an engaging and successful event

Leicester has proudly recruited the first UK participant on the EASTHigh study, which is investigating whether early rhythm-control treatment with catheter ablation can improve outcomes for people with atrial fibrillation and significant co-morbidities to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular complications. Recruiting the first UK participant is a significant milestone for the EASThigh study and we look forward to building on this momentum.

EASTHigh is an international multicentre study coordinated by AFNET in Germany with Professor André Ng as UK Chief Investigator. Led nationally from Leicester, the trial has now opened at sites in Leicester, Coventry and Brighton. Congratulations to Professor André Ng and the team.

A new study published in Annals of Human Genetics has provided evidence that metformin, a widely used treatment for type 2 diabetes, may help protect against the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a potentially life-threatening condition for which there are currently no proven medical therapies. The research was led by Dr Katie Saxby and colleagues from the University of Leicester, including Professor Matt Bown, Deputy Director of the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence (CRE), and Dr Chris Nelson, a BHF CRE Senior Investigator.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when the main artery carrying blood from the heart becomes enlarged. As the aneurysm grows, the risk of rupture increases, which can be fatal. While previous studies had suggested that metformin might reduce AAA risk, it was unclear whether this relationship was causal.

The researchers combined an observational analysis of UK Biobank data, including 2,972 AAA cases and more than 89,000 matched controls, with a Mendelian randomisation study using genetic variants linked to metformin's biological targets. Metformin use was associated with a 51% lower risk of AAA, while the genetic analyses suggested a 43% reduction in risk, providing evidence that the protective effect may be causal rather than explained by other factors.

The findings support growing interest in repurposing existing medicines for cardiovascular disease and highlight metformin as a promising candidate for AAA prevention. The authors conclude that clinical trials are now warranted to determine whether metformin can slow aneurysm progression and reduce the risk of rupture in people living with AAA.

Read the article here: Evidence of a Protective Effect of Metformin on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Risk: Insights From an Observational Study and Mendelian Randomisation Analysis Using Putative Metformin Targets

A new study published in Heart has highlighted an important unmet need in the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) following myocardial infarction (heart attack). Led by Dr Edward Lau and colleagues, the meta-analysis examined SCD risk across different levels of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), the key measure currently used to determine eligibility for implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).

Analysing data from 9,345 patients across five studies, the researchers found that post-MI patients with mildly reduced heart function (LVEF 36-50%) had an annual SCD rate of 1.74% despite not being candidates for ICD treatment. Although LVEF did help identify who had the highest overall rates of SCD, the proportion of deaths due to SCD remained similar in these groups. The findings suggest that many individuals remain at meaningful risk despite falling outside current guidelines for ICD therapy; therefore further study is needed to improve risk stratification within this population and determine whether suitable intervention is beneficial.

The research is the focus of Dr Lau’s PhD project, supported by the Kusuma Trust, and aligns closely with the work of the Leicester Arrhythmia Group within the BHF CRE and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Improving identification of patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias after a heart attack is a key challenge for the group's research and an important component of the LifeMap programme.

Within the BHF CRE, the study contributes to the Interventions Theme, which aims to translate discoveries in arrhythmia mechanisms into new opportunities for intervention. By demonstrating the limitations of relying on LVEF alone for risk assessment, the work strengthens the case for developing more personalised approaches to identifying and treating patients at risk of sudden cardiac death, helping to bridge the gap between mechanistic discovery and future clinical interventions.

Read the article here: Sudden cardiac death risk after myocardial infarction across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction: a meta-analysis

Professor Andre Ng, Director of the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence, has been awarded an MBE for his services to medical research and healthcare as part of the King’s Birthday Honours.

Professor Ng said: “I am humbled and deeply honoured to receive the MBE for services to medical research and healthcare. Caring for patients and contributing to research that advances understanding, innovation and treatment have been among the most rewarding aspects of my professional life.”

“This recognition reflects the contributions of many outstanding colleagues and teams with whom I have had the privilege to work at the University of Leicester, the British Cardiovascular Society and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Together, across preclinical science, engineering innovation, clinical research and clinical trials, we have sought to translate discovery into better care and improved outcomes for patients.”

He added: “I am particularly grateful to my family, mentors, collaborators and fellow colleagues, whose unwavering encouragement, support and friendship have sustained me throughout my career. This honour is shared with them and with all those whose dedication to advancing patient care and research continues to inspire me every day.”

Born and brought up in Hong Kong, Professor Ng came to the UK as an overseas student after A-levels to study medicine at the University of Glasgow where he obtained his medical degree in 1989 and started his house jobs, and then medical training, obtaining membership of the Royal College of Physicians in 1992.

He started clinical cardiology training, which was followed by completing a British Heart Foundation-funded research studentship which led to his PhD in 1998. Professor Ng was appointed clinical lecturer and senior registrar at the University of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, respectively. He came to Leicester in 2002 as Senior Lecturer at the University and an Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital. In 2013, Professor Ng was awarded Personal Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology.

Professor Ng was Head of Department of Cardiovascular Sciences from April 2020 to July 2025, steering the research-focused department through the challenges during the pandemic to emerge with strong research income and output. He also led the successful bid for the British Heart Foundation Research Excellence Award with Leicester named for the first time as one of eight BHF Centres of Research Excellence in the country, which he is leading now as director. 

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Blood vessel genes could be targets for heart disease drugs: new study

18 genes related to multiple vascular diseases have been identified by University of Leicester scientists.

This is the first study by the British Heart Foundation Leicester Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) Fellows, published in the Journal Nature Communications.

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Dr Fiona Newberry explains how gut microbes may influence cardiovascular disease

BHF CRE Research Fellow Dr Fiona Newberry has published a new article in The Conversation, exploring the emerging science linking gut health to heart health.

In her piece, Why your gut microbiome and heart are closer than you think, Dr Newberry explains how the gut microbiome may play a greater role in cardiovascular disease than previously understood. She highlights growing evidence that people with cardiovascular disease tend to have reduced microbial diversity, fewer beneficial bacteria, and increased levels of microbes associated with inflammation.

The article also outlines how gut microbes produce metabolites, some of which can be harmful in excess, including TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide), a molecule increasingly linked to poor cardiovascular outcomes. Dr Newberry’s commentary offers an accessible overview of current research and reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary investigation into the gut–heart axis—an emerging area with implications for prevention and treatment of heart disease.

Read the full article in The Conversation

Prediction of mortality, bleeding, and ischaemic events in patients with cancer and acute coronary syndrome: a model development and validation study

The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)02020-3

An international team of researchers from England, Switzerland, and Sweden, including BHF CRE Investigator Prof David Adlam, has now developed the first risk prediction model designed specifically for cancer patients who have a heart attack. The study, published in The Lancet, analysed more than one million heart attack patients from England, Sweden and Switzerland, including over 47,000 with cancer.

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