Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) has several different, but interconnecting research areas that connect clinical and scientific staff to enhance our research.

The research currently undertaken within this BRU is directed by Professor Dudley Pennell. We aim to combine novel imaging, cell biology and genetics techniques across a broad range of cardiac diseases to develop innovative treatments, such as devices and genes.

The work broadly falls into four clinical research areas:

• Advanced heart failure

• Adult congenital heart disease

• Complex coronary artery disease

• Aorta and aortic valves

In addition, we have two crosscutting science areas:

• Advanced imaging

• Genetics and genomics 

Facilities

The Cardiovascular BRU houses several facilities including a 3T CMR scanner, an echocardiography suite, a catherisation laboratory, a next generation genetics lab and a biobank.

The BRU also contains a seminar room and meeting room that can be booked for teaching sessions. The BRU fosters an educational and cross-training environment, where all staff are encouraged to participate in educational activities, such as grand rounds, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Patients and the public

Alongside the BRU infrastructure, the cardiovascular BRU is committed to embedding user engagement and involvement in its research. All research supported by the BRU will be encouraged to contain user involvement.

Read about patient and public engagement and involvement in our joint Cardiovascular and Respiratory BRU pages.

Further information

If you would like further information regarding the Cardiovascular BRU, please contact Geraldine Sloane, CBRU facility manager, on 020 7351 8815 or g.sloane@rbht.nhs.uk.