Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute (VPD-HLRI)
We bring together population health, laboratory, and clinical researchers, with patients and their loved ones, the NHS, commercial, and charitable sectors.
There is an urgent need to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and this is the core purpose of our Institute. We aim to improve health outcomes for populations and people around the world. - Professor Charlotte Summers – Director, VPD-Heart & Lung Research Institute
Cardiovascular and lung disease impacts all ages across the world. WHO reported that more than 27 million deaths were caused by cardiovascular and lung disease in 2019. There is every reason to suspect that the COVID pandemic, climate change, and air pollution has increased this mortality.
Our approach to the challenge of improving cardiovascular and lung health is grounded in our values. We are a patient-centred, collaborative, data-driven, and delivery-focussed community who are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusivity in both our research and our researchers.
Understanding complex issues, such as cardiovascular and lung health, from multiple viewpoints increases the likelihood that the preventive strategies, diagnostics, and therapeutic solutions we develop will be effective and have global impact.
We have over 450 research staff from seven different University departments and the NHS and have £250 million in active research funding.
We have a wet and dry laboratory research space and an NIHR accredited Clinical Research Facility with the ability to support experimental medicine and early phase clinical trials.
We host the:
- UK Cystic Fibrosis Innovation Hub
- Wolfson Lung Injury Unit
- BHF Centre of Research Excellence
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomic Initiative
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit
Our research themes
- Medicine
- Public Health and Primary Care
- Haematology
- Clinical Neuroscience
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Radiology
- Surgery
Our department
Head of Institute (Director) – Professor Charlotte Summers
Cardiovascular Principal Investigators:
- Professor Martin Bennett – Section Head
- Professor John Danesh
- Professor Murray Clarke
- Professor Adam Butterworth
- Professor Angela Wood
- Professor Emanuele di Angelantonio
- Dr Helle Jorgensen
- Professor Hugh Markus
- Professor James Rudd
- Professor Mike Inouye
- Dr Nick Evans
- Dr Nick Gleadall
- Professor Nicole Soranzo
- Dr Sam Lambert
- Dr Stephen Kaptoge
- Professor Toni Vidal-Puig
- Professor Ziad Mallat
- Dr Xian Li
Cardiovascular Affiliated Principal Investigators:
- Dr Ana Vujic
- Dr Jason Tarkin
- Dr Emma Yu
- Dr Merixtell Nus
- Dr Tian Zhao
Lung Principal Investigators:
- Professor Charlotte Summers, Director VPD-HLRI
- Dr Mark Toshner
- Professor Andres Floto
- Dr Jonathan Fuld
- Professor Clare Bryant
- Dr Wei Li
- Dr Stefan Graf
Lung Affiliated Principal Investigators:
- Dr Aki Jha
Clinical Research Facility:
- Dr Mark Toshner – Director
- TBA – CRF Business Operations Manager
- Ms Jenny Castedo – Lead Nurse
RPH Affiliated staff:
- Mr Aman Coonar
- Dr Charlie Haworth
- Dr Claire Martin
- Dr Ian Smith
- Professor Joanna Pepke-Zaba
- Dr Paddy Calvert
- Dr Stephen Hoole
- Mr Stephen Large
Professional Services Team:
- Ruth Berriman – Business Operations Manager
- Spiros Tsironis – Buildings Services Manager
- Nick Mann – AV Specialist and Digital Content Creator
- Alana Bradford - CUHP Fundraising Director for VPD-HLRI
- Sarah Chantler – EA to Director, VPD-HLRI
Get in touch
Visit us or contact us
Visit us
Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute
Cambridge Biomedical Campus
Papworth Road
Cambridge
CB2 0BB
Tel: +44 (0)1223 762747
