Our new Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, Professor Brian Williams, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honors List for services to healthcare.

The award recognizes the leading role he has played as a scientific and clinical leader in the UK.

With over 40 years of experience as a frontline NHS clinician and internationally leading clinical scientist, Professor Williams has led research that has changed clinical practice around the world, helping to save and improve countless lives. I did.

He joined us in November to develop our research and medical strategy for cardiovascular research.

We are the UK’s largest independent funder of cardiovascular research, funding around £100m of new research every year.

Before joining our Executive Group, Professor Williams had a long association with the BHF and much of his research was funded by us.

Professor Williams is also Director of Medicine at University College London (UCL) and NHS Consultant at University College London Hospital, and was most recently Director of the NIHR University College London Hospital (UCLH) Biomedical Research Center and Director of UCLH Research. Director, is also a Senior Director and Trustee of UCLH.

“Well deserved”

Professor Williams said: “I am delighted to receive this honor. It is a tribute to the many talented colleagues I have had the good fortune to work with over the course of my career. I would like to thank them for their outstanding support over the years. I would like to thank everyone and my family.

“The next exciting new chapter in my career will see me as the BHF’s first Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, driving forward BHF-funded research, driving new and better diagnostics and treatments, and improving I am determined to continue contributing to improving outcomes for patients with incurable diseases.” At risk for heart and circulatory disease. ”

Congratulating Professor Williams on his honour, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive Officer, said: “This prestigious award recognizes the significant contribution Brian has made to science and medicine in the UK throughout his career, contributing to countless life-saving advances.”

“We congratulate him for his work and leadership in our BHF strategy to accelerate our life-saving research and ensure that millions of people with heart and circulatory disease receive the critical care and support they need. I am happy to be here.”

Knighthood our former trustee

The 2024 New Year Honors list also includes former Trustee Professor John Iredale, who was knighted for services to medical research.

Professor Iredale joined the Board in 2016 and retired in October 2022 after a maximum of two terms.

As a distinguished academic leader, Professor Iredale has provided invaluable advice on our research funding, including key initiatives such as: BHF Data Science Center and the competition for our biggest ever single prize of £30m big beat challenge.

In his role as Interim Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, he also provided valuable guidance on how to reduce the impact of the pandemic on research funding, protecting the work of thousands of scientists across the UK. I contributed to that.

Learn more about Professor Williams