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Myant lecture 2025 - Prof Peter Libby
Peter Libby, MD, is a cardiovascular specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and holds the Mallinckrodt Professorship of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His areas of clinical expertise include general and preventive cardiology. His current major research focus is the role of inflammation in vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Dr. Libby has a particular devotion to translate his basic laboratory studies to pilot and then large-scale clinical cardiovascular outcome trials.
Dr. Libby has received numerous research awards, including the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the Gold Medal of the European Society of Cardiology, the Basic Research Prize of the American Heart Association, the Anitschkow Prize in Atherosclerosis Research of the European Atherosclerosis Society, the Ernst Jung Gold Medal for Medicine, and the Benditt Award from the North American Vascular Biology Organization. He is the recipient of the ACC Valentin Fuster Award for Innovation in Science for 2024.
An author and lecturer on cardiovascular medicine and atherosclerosis, Dr. Libby has published extensively in top ranked medical journals. He is the Editor-in Chief for the 12th edition of Braunwald’s Heart Disease.
Dr. Libby earned his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego, and completed his training in internal medicine and cardiology at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now Brigham and Women’s Hospital). He also holds an honorary MA degree from Harvard University, and three honorary doctorates.
Speaker Biographies
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Dr Anthony Barron MBBS PhD FRCP
Consultant Cardiologist Harefield Hospital, Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Cardiology, Harefield, UK
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Dr Anthony Barron qualified from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School, Imperial College, in 2003. He subsequently trained in North-West London as a cardiology registrar, undertaking a PhD at Imperial College in exercise physiology which he completed in 2013, and became a consultant in 2016 at Harefield Hospital.
Dr Barron specializes in heart failure and cardiac imaging. He is the lead for general heart failure at Harefield Hospital, heading up a team of 2 consultants, 4 heart failure specialist nurses, 1 pharmacist and a number of registrars. He has been an early adopter of new heart failure strategies including Entresto, SGLT2 inhibitors, and intravenous iron. His main areas of expertise in imaging include complex echo and nuclear imaging for ischaemia. Within complex echocardiography this includes expertise in TOE and mitral valve disease, often a long-term complication of heart failure.
Alongside his clinical work Dr Barron is senior clinical lecturer at Brunel Medical School, where he leads one of the five houses of the school, giving pastoral and academic support to many undergraduate students. He is also heavily involved in postgraduate education, previously having held the post of Royal College Tutor for 6 years, and is a strong advocate for Physician Associates. |
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Dr Adrian Brown PhD, MSc, PDip, BSc, RD
NIHR Advanced Fellow and Senior Research Fellow; Senior Specialist Dietitian University College London Centre for Obesity Research, Division of Medicine, London UK |
Dr Adrian Brown is a NIHR Advanced Fellow and Senior Research Fellow/Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics in the Centre of Obesity Research at University College London and programme co-lead of the MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration) course at UCL. He is also a Senior Specialist Weight Management and Bariatric dietitian with over 19 years of clinical experience and a PhD in Medicine from Imperial College London.
His research interests centre around obesity, type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery, weight stigma, ultra-processed foods, weight related terminology, food insecurity and sustainability in people living with obesity and the use of formula-based diets in different patient populations. With his NIHR Advanced fellowship focussing on weight loss in people living with obesity and kidney failure on haemodialysis prior to kidney transplant.
Dr Brown is Chair of the Specialist Obesity Group for the British Dietetic Association, on the board of trustees for the Academy of Nutrition Science, an Honorary Academic for Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, on the strategic council for APPG on Obesity, Steering Committee for Obesity Empowerment Network and is on the scientific council of the British Nutrition Foundation. He is also Associate Editor for Clinical Obesity and an editor of the Manual of Dietetic Practice. |
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Miss Anna Bruce BSc (Hons)
Specialist Paediatric Metabolic Dietitian Nottingham Children’s Hospital Department of Children’s Dietetics and Nutrition, Nottingham |
Anna is a registered paediatric specialist dietitian. She currently specialises in the dietary management of inherited metabolic disorders and works within the East Midlands Paediatric Metabolic Service based at Nottingham Children’s Hospital. Anna looks after children with all inherited metabolic conditions but leads on the dietetic management of children with familial hypercholesterolaemia. She was responsible for the set-up of the dietetic service for the paediatric lipid clinic in Nottingham. Anna was involved in the recent review and update of the Heart UK literature for children and young people with FH. |
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Dr Tom Butler BSc PhD RD RNutr
Senior Lecturer Edge Hill University Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine Ormskirk, UK
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Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Health at Edgehill University, lead for the Diet Working Group at the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, chair of the British Dietetic Association Cardiovascular Specialist Group, and member of HEART UK’s Medical, Scientific Research committee. Tom has an honorary position as a specialist dietitian with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust where he supports the cardiovascular rehabilitation programme at Stepping Hill Hospital. His areas of research and expertise lie broadly in the area of cardiovascular disease prevention (including primary and secondary), with a special interest in heart failure.
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Prof. Manuela Casula PhD
Assistant Professor University of Milan Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences Milan, Italy |
Manuela Casula obtained her degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Milan, Italy in 2007.
In 2014 she obtained her PhD in Medical, Surgical, Clinical, and Experimental Sciences (Curriculum: pharmacoepidemiology)
Manuela Casula is currently associated professor at Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), Milan, Italy.
Manuela's main activities include: - Epidemiological studies on cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors - Pharmacoutilization and pharmacoepidemiology studies: analyses of administrative, clinical, of pharmacovigilance databases with record linkage procedures, or meta-analyses from published data - Evaluation of appropriate medication use (drug-drug interactions, off-label use, misprescribing/ overprescribing, adherence to therapy) and educative/informative interventions - Coordination of activities for clinical/epidemiological studies carried out by SISA Foundation for the promotion of research on atherosclerotic diseases, including interactions with the ethics committees for the procedural aspects and relations with the participating researchers
Manuela is author of 99 papers in international peer reviewer journals (Scopus [January, 2025]) Sum of the Times Cited: 9,227; H-index: 25) and more than thirty papers in Italian scientific journals. |
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Professor Gary A Ford FMedSci, FRCP
Professor of Stroke Medicine University of Oxford Radcliffe Department of Medicine Oxford, UK
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Gary is a consultant stroke physician at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor of Stroke Medicine at the University of Oxford. Gary also leads Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley, previously Oxford AHSN since its formation in 2013.
He led the HIN (AHSN) atrial fibrillation national (2018-20) and lipid management programmes (2021-24) supporting primary care in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease through adoption of novel therapies, diagnostics and service pathway transformation. Gary has led the adoption of innovation in stroke care for many years. Gary developed the first thrombolysis protocol for acute stroke in England and the Face Arm Speech Test (FAST) now used to increase public and professional awareness of stroke. Gary was Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) stroke research network from 2005-2013 and a member of the NIHR strategy board from 2011-2023. He became a non-executive director on the board of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in April 2021.
He was awarded the CBE in 2013 for services to research in stroke medicine. In 2018 Gary was identified as one of seven research legends whose work has transformed care in the NHS. |
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Dr Alexander Harrison PhD, MSc, BSc
Research Fellow/Lead Analyst University of York, Health Sciences, York, UK |
Dr Alex Harrison is the NACR lead analyst and research fellow based at the University of York. The role entails providing in depth data to integral NHS Dashboards, producing routine reports to inform service improvement, evaluation and funding requests.
The research is multifaceted covering determinants of uptake and outcomes associated with cardiac rehabilitation outcomes. The output also encompasses all aspects of the rehabilitation pathway including wait times, mode of delivery and specific components and how they are associated with patient outcomes.
Alex is well published with over 40 peer-reviewed articles in a range of methodologies. Within the role at the university, Alex has supervised two PhD students to completion, one ongoing, assisted with five PhD students using NACR data and over 10 MSc, ERASMUS or Foundation Doctor placement projects. |
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Dr Fiona Kinnear MSc, PhD (RD)
Honorary Research Associate The University of Bristol NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre Bristol, UK |
Dr Fiona Kinnear is a registered dietitian and honorary research associate at The University of Bristol. Her PhD thesis was entitled ‘The role of diet and physical activity in the treatment of families with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH)’ and the research involved the development and evaluation of a behaviour change intervention targeting the dietary and physical activity behaviours of children and their parent who are affected by FH. While now working full-time in healthcare industry, Fiona remains passionate about improving the identification and management of families living with FH.
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Prof Alex Miras FRCP PhD
Professor of Endocrinology Ulster University, School of Medicine Derry, UK |
Alex Miras is Professor of Endocrinology at Ulster University. His clinical and research work focus solely on Obesity and type 2 diabetes. He has contributed to clinical management policy and research in the field of Obesity over the last 14 years. The specialist interests of his research Group are the mechanisms of action of interventions for obesity, focusing on pharmacotherapy, medical devices, and obesity surgery. Alex is a member of the NICE obesity management guidelines committee, trustee of the Association for the Study of Obesity and chair of the research subcommittee of the NBSR. He is associate editor for the journals Obesity, SOARD and European Journal of Endocrinology.
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Ms Heather Probert MSc Cardiovascular Rehabilitation & Health, University of Chester BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, University of Hertfordshire
Consultant Physiotherapist Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, Harefield, UK
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Heather Probert is a Consultant Physiotherapist and Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation Lead at Harefield and Royal Brompton Hospitals. With over 19 years of experience in cardiac rehabilitation, Heather specializes in managing a diverse patient population, from those with common cardiac conditions to individuals with complex needs, including ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplants. Her primary clinical focus is on patients with adult congenital heart disease.
Passionate about advancing cardiac rehabilitation, Heather is committed to evolving services to meet patient needs in an ever-changing healthcare landscape. She has successfully integrated both virtual and face-to-face rehabilitation options, aiming to improve patient engagement and increase participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs. She is currently undertaking a non-medical prescribing qualification.
Beyond her clinical role, Heather is current President of the British Association of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation (BACPR), is the Education Officer for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation (ACPICR) and Co-Chairs the North-West London Cardiac Rehabilitation Network. Additionally, she lectures on the Heart Failure and Part 2 BACPR courses, helping to shape the future of cardiac rehabilitation practice.
Heather remains dedicated to improving patient outcomes, developing innovative rehabilitation strategies, and supporting the professional community in delivering high-quality cardiovascular care. |
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Dr. Henk Schipper MD PhD Pediatric Cardiologist, Erasmus MC Research Fellow
Sophia Children’s Hospital – Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam Pediatric Cardiology Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Dr Henk Schipper is a pediatric cardiologist, cardiovascular immunologist, and Research Fellow at the Erasmus Medical Centre - Sophia Children’s Hospital in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Previously, he completed his clinical training and PhD at the University Medical Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands. From 2018-2020, he worked as a Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Immunology at the Kennedy Institute of Oxford University, in the United Kingdom.
Since 2024, he has been the scientific lead of the pediatric heart failure and heart transplantation team at the Erasmus Medical Centre – Sophia Children’s Hospital, next to his role in cardiovascular risk assessment and management studies in paediatrics.
He currently co-chairs the European Joint Consensus Committee on Cardiovascular Risk Management in the Young (AEPC/EAPC). Furthermore, he supervises the Secondary Manifestations of Arterial Disease in Youth with a Chronic Disease study (SMART-Youth) in the Netherlands, that aims for improved cardiovascular risk stratification and management in children with a chronic disease. |
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Prof John Stevenson MB BS, FRCP, FRCOG, FESC, MFSEM
Consultant Metabolic Physician Royal Brompton Hospital National Heart & Lung Institute London, UK
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Prof John C Stevenson MB BS, FRCP, FRCOG, FESC, MFSEM is Emeritus Reader in Metabolic Medicine in the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Visiting Professor at the Belgrade School of Medicine, and Consultant Physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, where he jointly set up and ran the UK’s first female heart disease clinic. He graduated from King’s College Hospital, London. His research has included studies of metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease and the effects of sex hormone deficiency and replacement, and the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. He has over 470 publications in journals and books, including 12 textbooks. He is Trustee of the British Menopause Society, and Executive Committee Member of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, past Chairman of the British Menopause Society, past Executive Committee Member of the International Menopause Society and of the European Menopause and Andropause Society, and past Chairman of the charity Women’s Health Concern. |
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Prof Tricia Tan MB ChB BSc FRCP PhD FRCPath
Chair in Metabolic Medicine and Endocrinology, Imperial College London Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction London, UK |
Prof Tricia Tan (BSc MB ChB FRCP PhD FRCPath) is a Professor of Metabolic Medicine and Endocrinology at Imperial College London. She graduated from the University of St Andrews and qualified in medicine from the University of Manchester. She trained in Diabetes and Endocrinology in London and studied with Prof Sir Stephen Bloom for her doctoral research on pancreatic polypeptide and gut peptides. Her research has concentrated on characterising the physiological effects of human gut hormones on appetite, energy expenditure and glucose homeostasis; the rational design of gut hormone analogues for therapy of obesity and diabetes, and early Phase clinical trials; the physiology of bariatric surgery; and developing assays for gut hormones and other neuropeptides. Her clinical interests lie in the treatment of obesity and diabetes, metabolic complications after bariatric surgery and the management of subfertility associated with obesity and obesity in pregnancy. She is the Director of the UK Supraregional Assay Service Endocrine Laboratory for Gut Hormones, and serves as the Clinical Lead, Biochemistry, and Director of Research for North West London Pathology Consortium.
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Dr Isabelle van der Linden MSc, MD MD, PhD-Candidate
University Medical Center Utrecht – Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital Pediatrics, Utrecht, The Netherlands |
Isabelle van der Linden is a medical researcher focusing on pediatric cardiology. She graduated as a medical doctor in 2022 from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Following her medical training, she pursued a PhD in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology under the supervision of Dr. Henk Schipper. Her research focuses on preclinical atherosclerosis in both healthy and chronically ill children, aiming to improve early detection and prevention strategies for cardiovascular diseases. With the SMART-Youth study group, she set up cardiovascular risk assessment and management across pediatric groups at risk in the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht (The Netherlands). In addition to her PhD, Isabelle is completing a postgraduate Master’s in Epidemiology.
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Ms Helen Williams BPharm Hons, PGDip Clin Pharm, PGDip Cardiol, IPresc
National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention, NHS England Medical Directorate, London UK
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Helen is the National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention at NHSE and Consultant Pharmacist and Clinical Lead for Cardiovascular Disease for the Southeast London Integrated Care System. Helen has worked as a CVD specialist for more than 25 years across all care settings.
She was clinical adviser to the AHSN national AF programme and developed the pharmacist-led virtual clinic model to optimise uptake of anticoagulation in AF, which has now been spread nationally. Most recently, as the National Specialty Adviser for CVD Prevention at NHS England she worked on the delivery of the national CVD ambitions for AF, Blood Pressure and Cholesterol in the NHS Long Term Plan.
Helen is also supporting UCLPartners with the implementation of Proactive Care Frameworks for CVD and CVDACTION to support primary care with the tools and resources to optimise patient outcomes, particularly for AF, blood pressure, lipids, heart failure and CKD. |
