The University of Sheffield is a world-leading research centre for cardiovascular disease, with a focus on atherothrombosis, pulmonary artery hypertension and neurovascular disease. The Cardiovascular Disease Theme of the NIHR Sheffield BRC will exploit exciting lab-based discoveries and early-stage clinical findings to develop novel clinical research programmes.

Our research will improve the quality of life and prognosis of people with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and pulmonary vascular disease through enhanced pharmacological therapies, novel device interventions, remote monitoring and the personalisation of treatment supported by biomarker analysis, digital systems and clinical care algorithms. It is key that we extend these benefits to populations with a high burden of cardiovascular disease through the engagement of patients and the public in large-scale research studies, enhanced publicity surrounding local research activities and results, and the development of primary care networks in areas with high levels of social deprivation.

Our aims

Over the next 5 years, we aim to:

Develop software for the automated virtual assessment of coronary physiological parameters in order to guide the management of patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography

Demonstrate the value of non-invasive and invasive remote monitoring in clinical studies of pulmonary arterial hypertension, improving the quality of data and statistical power in clinical trials of novel drug regimens

Develop cutting-edge innovation in cardiopulmonary imaging and oversee its rapid translation into clinical practice to improve the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of patients with pulmonary vascular disease

Demonstrate the advantages of novel antithrombotic regimens in patients with coronary artery disease, diabetes and stroke, achieving a better balance of ischaemic and bleeding risks in a range of clinical scenarios and lower levels of systemic inflammation, including during hypoglycaemia, in order to reduce long-term atherothrombotic risk

Exploit our broad multidisciplinary expertise in inflammatory mechanisms to identify and characterise novel targets for the management and prevention of atherosclerotic disease and pulmonary vascular disease, leading to the safer and more effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Develop and demonstrate the effects of drugs for reducing the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Identify novel digital biomarkers of current and future cardiovascular diseases from smartphones and consumer wearable data