Ischaemic Heart Disease

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading global cause of premature ill health and death. Our teams lead research and innovation to advance the science underpinning novel diagnostics and therapy for people with IHD.

PGR Students

Iain Black 

  • Postgraduate Research Student 
  • Research title: Investigating the mechanisms of acute preservation of cardiac function post-MI following angiotensin-(1-9) gene therapy

Our academic unit is integral to the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health within the University of Glasgow and the National Health Service. The unit is led by Colin Berry, Professor of Cardiology and Imaging supported by Richard Good, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, and a team of post-doctoral and doctoral researchers. We prioritize careers development and diversity within our teams. Our clinical research is conducted in collaboration with clinical and academic colleagues in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire and the  Golden Jubilee National Hospital. Together these health boards provide care for a population of 2.5 million people and the NHS Golden Jubilee also provides national services for advanced heart failure and transplantation, adult congenital heart disease and pulmonary vascular disease. Beyond the west of Scotland, we lead and support national and international collaborations to deliver impactful research and innovation in ischaemic heart disease.

We have advanced the agenda for a more inclusive approach to research and healthcare in ischaemic heart disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD), ischaemia with no obstructive arteries (INOCA) and myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and distinct conditions that may cause angina, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias,  heart failure and systemic health problems, including vascular dementia. We prioritise research relevant to underserved groups, notably heart disease in women, and persons living with socio-economic deprivation. Our research has led to changes in clinical practice guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology and North American societies and had a direct impact on  society, for example the Women’s Health Plan of the Scottish Government policy reports issued by the British Heart Foundation such as Bias and Biology (2019) and Igniting Change (2022).

We investigate complex problems through an interdisciplinary, population-bedside-bench approach. We target unanswered health problems through clinical trials and cohort studies. We implement deep clinical phenotyping involving noninvasive and invasive methods (biochemistry, imaging, physiology, biostatistics) and collect tissue (blood, biopsies (cells, arteries)) enabling laboratory-based cardiovascular science and collaborations with biomedical and fundamental scientists. To direct impact on clinical practice, population health and health policies, we collaborate with the Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA) research group and the Robertson Centre for Biostatistics/Clinical Trials Unit in the University of Glasgow. We are privileged to collaborate with commercial partners.

Clinical expertise

  • coronary angiography and physiology testing
  • intravascular coronary imaging
  • percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG)
  • cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)
  • computed tomography coronary angiography (CCTA)

Biomedical expertise

  • Biomarkers
  • Vascular science - physiology and pharmacology; genomics, cell culture, signalling and transcriptomics.

Our group has a track-record of peer-reviewed research awards. We have led major awards from the British Heart Foundation (Centre of Research Excellence, Programme Grants), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Medical Research Council of UKRI, the European Commission and industry. Careers development is central to our work, and we prioritise support for early career researchers within the Graduate Schools of the College of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (MVLS) and the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Glasgow.

Our group actively contributes to national and international forums. We also have leadership roles in international forums including COVADIS (Coronary Vasomotor Disorders International Study Group) and the European Society of Cardiology. We support the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS), the British Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (BSCMR), the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) and the British Society for Cardiovascular Research (BSCR). We have the privilege of contributing to patient forums including INOCA International and the International Heart Spasms Alliance.

Current and recent clinical trials:

Key collaborations

  • Laboratory based research assessing the mechanisms responsible for IHD to explore new therapeutic targets
  • http://www.softmech.org/ - a collaboration with academic colleagues in engineering, mathematics and computing science to deliver groundbreaking modelling of cardiac disease and therapeutic interventions
  • Application of artificial intelligence to imaging to improve the diagnosis and management of IHD

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