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Cause and cure discovered for common type of high blood pressure

Clinicians at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Hospital have identified a gene variant that causes a common type of hypertension (high blood pressure) and a way to cure it, new research published in Nature Genetics shows. 

Date added: Monday, June 12, 2023

Largest ever genetic study of QRS-T angles may improve risk prediction for cardiovascular disease

A team of international researchers have performed the largest genetic analyses to date of electrocardiogram (ECG) measures associated with cardiovascular disease.

Date added: Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Queen Mary researcher receives major funding award

Philip Eaton, Professor of Cardiovascular Biochemistry at Queen Mary University of London, has been awarded €2.5 million by the European Research Council (ERC) to help tackle cardiovascular disease.

Date added: Thursday, March 30, 2023

Study reveals how changes in workplace support and leadership training can improve mental health and reduce burnout in healthcare professionals

Amongst healthcare professionals, the feeling of being supported in the workplace can protect them against adverse mental health and burnout, according to a new study published in CMAJ Open by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and medical staff at various hospitals across the UK.

Date added: Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Ten-minute scan enables detection and cure of the commonest cause of high blood pressure

Doctors at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Hospital, and Cambridge University Hospital, have led research using a new type of CT scan to light up tiny nodules in a hormone gland and cure high blood pressure by their removal. The nodules are discovered in one-in-twenty people with high blood pressure.

Date added: Monday, January 16, 2023

Large international study uncovers genes involved in heart disease

Scientists link dozens of new genome sites to coronary artery disease risk and pioneer a powerful method for illuminating the biological roots of common disease.

Date added: Wednesday, December 7, 2022

New drug can successfully treat patients typically resistant to high blood pressure treatment

A new drug called Baxdrostat has been shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure (hypertension) in patients who may not respond to current treatments for the condition, according to results from a phase II trial led jointly by a Queen Mary University of London researcher and colleagues at CinCor Pharma, USA.

Date added: Monday, November 7, 2022

Study of over 5 million people’s DNA reveals genetic links to height

An international team of researchers, including experts from Queen Mary University of London and the GIANT consortium, have identified over 12,000 genetic variants that influence a person’s height.

Date added: Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Healthcare workers more than three times as likely to have experienced burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic

Healthcare professionals working during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are up to 3.3-times more likely to be burned out compared to non-healthcare professionals, despite the rates of mental health issues being similar, according to new research led by Queen Mary University of London.

Date added: Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Researchers discover new genetic loci, pathways, therapeutic targets, and relationships with cardiovascular disease based on QT interval anomalies

In a new study, published in Nature Communications, researchers from Queen Mary University of London have performed the largest multi-ancestry genetic analysis to date (>250,000 individuals), for markers derived from the electrocardiogram (ECG) that capture cardiac electrical activity in the heart ventricles.

Date added: Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Could T-wave morphology on a single-lead ECG heartbeat help to identify people at risk of sudden cardiac death?

A joint collaboration involving researchers from Queen Mary University of London, University College London (UCL) and the University of Oulu has identified T-wave morphological variations (TMV), measured from a single beat single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), as a strong predictor of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in low- and high-risk populations. 

Date added: Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Could a short low-intensity stimulation of the ear lower blood pressure? World’s first trial begins recruitment

Afferent Medical Solutions Ltd in collaboration with researchers from Queen Mary University of London are running a clinical trial to determine if its AffeX device can reduce blood pressure by delivering a low voltage current to the specific region of the ear on a periodic basis.

Date added: Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Unvaccinated individuals with heart problems up to 9 times more likely to die or suffer serious complications from COVID-19

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have combined evidence from 110 previous Covid-19 studies and found that unvaccinated individuals who contract the virus when they already have high blood pressure, diabetes or major heart damage are up to nine times more likely to suffer serious outcomes - including death, lung failure, admission to intensive care and kidney problems.

Date added: Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Scientists to trial world-first long-acting injection for high blood pressure

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have been selected by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to create new networks aimed at transforming ageing research in the UK.

Date added: Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Whole genome sequencing robustly detects the most common inherited neurological diseases and is adopted by healthcare

Scientists have found whole genome sequencing (WGS) can quickly and accurately detect the most common inherited neurological disorders – something previously thought to be impossible – with the results supporting the use of WGS as a standard diagnostic tool within routine clinical practice.

Date added: Wednesday, February 16, 2022

More diversity improves genetic research into cardiovascular disease, according to new study

A new study, co-led by Queen Mary University of London, has made the case for more diversity in genetic research.

Date added: Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Whole genome sequencing improves diagnosis of rare diseases and shortens diagnostic journeys for patients

A world-first scientific study, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown that whole genome sequencing (WGS) can uncover new diagnoses for people across the broadest range of rare diseases investigated to date and could deliver enormous benefits across the NHS.

Date added: Thursday, November 11, 2021

New study links COVID-19 genetic susceptibility with blood clots, thrombophlebitis and circulatory diseases

Research led by Queen Mary University of London associates genetically predicted COVID-19 susceptibility with increased blood clot events in legs and lungs, thrombophlebitis, and circulatory diseases.

Date added: Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Researchers successfully identify new gene variants that cause hypertension in pregnant women

An international study, led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, has found a unique pair of gene variants that causes sudden onset high blood pressure in pregnant women.

Date added: Thursday, August 12, 2021

Breakthrough into leading cause of blindness

A team of scientists, including researchers from Queen Mary University of London, has discovered that the most common form of adult blindness is probably caused by a failure of at least one of five proteins to regulate the immune system.

Date added: Monday, July 19, 2021

Procedure using ultrasound energy found to treat high blood pressure

A minimally-invasive procedure that targets the nerves near the kidney has been found to significantly reduce blood pressure in hypertension patients, according to the results of a global multicentre clinical trial led in the UK by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust.

Date added: Monday, June 7, 2021

Professor Munroe elected to prestigious fellowship

Congratulations to Professor Patricia Munroe who has been elected to the highly prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship.

Date added: Thursday, May 13, 2021

Genes could be key to new Covid-19 treatments, study finds

Potential treatments for Covid-19 have been identified after the discovery of five genes associated with the most severe form of the disease, in research involving Queen Mary academics.

Date added: Monday, December 14, 2020

Scientists discover more than 200 genetic factors causing heart arrhythmias

Hundreds of new links have been found between people’s DNA and the heart’s electrical activity, according to a study of almost 300,000 people led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Date added: Thursday, May 21, 2020

QMUL hosts Precision Medicine Leadership event showcasing developments from academia and industry

Date added: Wednesday, April 8, 2020

International team delivers research breakthrough for leading cause of blindness

Researchers have identified a new protein linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that could offer new hope for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, which affects over 1.5 million people in the UK alone.

Date added: Friday, February 7, 2020

Pinpointing rare disease mutations

A new study from Queen Mary University of London and EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute has uncovered the genes essential for supporting life, which could help researchers to identify mutations responsible for rare childhood diseases.

Date added: Friday, January 31, 2020

Cardiovascular Genomics Professor among most highly cited researchers

The William Harvey Research Institute is proud to announce that Panos Deloukas, Professor of Cardiovascular Genomics, has been named in the top 0.1% of the world’s most influential researchers.

Date added: Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Effects of Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium Concentrations on Ventricular Repolarization in Unselected Individuals

A new joint study involving researchers at Queen Mary University of London has identified background subclinical changes on the electrocardiogram as risk factors in cardiovascular mortality.

Date added: Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Genetic Risk Score for Coronary Disease Identifies Predispositions to Cardiovascular and Non-Cardiovascular Diseases

A new study led by researchers at Queen Mary University has shown how genetic predisposition to coronary heart disease (including heart attacks) is genetically correlated to other diseases.

Date added: Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Leading genomics expert awarded knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours

Professor Mark Caulfield, the interim Chief Executive at Genomics England and Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London, has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.  

Date added: Friday, June 7, 2019

DNA discovery could have implications for mitochondrial donation treatment

Mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ that produce our energy, interact with the cell’s nucleus in subtle ways previously unseen in humans, according to research involving academics from Queen Mary University of London.

Date added: Friday, May 24, 2019

London heart disease patients take part in clinical trial to test alternative to statins

A clinical trial, coordinated by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, is currently recruiting patients in London to see whether a new cholesterol-lowering drug could save lives in people who are intolerant to statins.

Date added: Monday, May 20, 2019

Poor lung function in shorter people linked to increased risk of heart disease

Results from a study led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London has found that an association between shorter stature and higher risk of heart disease is mainly attributed to our lungs.

Date added: Thursday, March 28, 2019

Working long hours linked to depression in women

Women who work more than 55 hours a week are at a higher risk of depression compared to men, according to a UCL-led study with Queen Mary University of London.

Date added: Tuesday, February 26, 2019

WHRI researchers in top 1 per cent worldwide

Three researchers from the William Research Institute have been placed in the top 1 per cent in the world, in this year’s Highly Cited Researchers list.

Date added: Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Genetic tool to predict adult heart attack risk in childhood

People at high risk of a heart attack in adulthood could be identified much earlier in life with a one-off DNA test, according to new research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Date added: Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Researchers awarded for lifetime achievements in blood pressure research

Two academics from Queen Mary University of London have received prestigious awards from the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) in recognition of their achievements in blood pressure research.

Date added: Monday, September 24, 2018

Study of one million people leads to world’s biggest advance in blood pressure genetics

Over 500 new gene regions that influence people’s blood pressure have been discovered in the largest global genetic study of blood pressure to date, led by Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College London.

Date added: Monday, September 17, 2018

Blood pressure medications and statins found to provide long-term cardiovascular benefits

Death rates from heart disease and stroke could be significantly lowered by prescribing statins alongside blood pressure-lowering drugs, according to the results from a clinical trial led by Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College London.

Date added: Tuesday, August 28, 2018

New lab technology could reveal treatments for muscle-wasting disease

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed new cell-based technologies which could improve understanding of the muscle-wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and test potential drugs for the disease.

Date added: Wednesday, June 6, 2018

QMUL and UCL joint study identifies genes linked to impaired capacity to modulate heart rate during and after exercise

A new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and University College London (UCL) has discovered 30 new gene locations that determine how the heart responds to and recovers from exercise.

Date added: Thursday, May 17, 2018

Professor Panos Deloukas elected as Fellow of The Academy of Medical Sciences

Professor of Cardiovascular Genomics at Queen Mary University of London has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to genomic medicine. 

Date added: Thursday, May 10, 2018

Hormone imbalance causes treatment-resistant hypertension

British researchers have discovered a hormone imbalance that explains why it is very difficult to control blood pressure in around 10 per cent of hypertension patients.

Date added: Thursday, April 12, 2018

100,000 Genomes Project to sequence its 500th genome later this month

Professor Mark Caulfield spoke to Observer Science Editor Robin McKie about the pioneering work of the 100,000 Genomes Project as it approaches its halfway point.

Date added: Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Multinational companies continue to produce unregulated antibiotics in India

Millions of unapproved antibiotics are being sold in India, according to a new joint study led by Dr Patricia McGettigan from the William Harvey Research Institute.

Date added: Tuesday, February 6, 2018

A new hope for reducing uncontrollable blood pressure

At The Royal London Hospital, on 30 June 2016, the Barts Blood Pressure Clinic became the first hospital in the country to provide two NHS patients with the innovative Barostim Neo™ device that could transform and save the lives of people living with uncontrollable blood pressure. 

Date added: Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Some statin-related side-effects are due to 'nocebo' effect

Patients report more side effects when they know they are taking a statin, than when they do not know whether they are on the drug or a dummy pill, according to a study by researchers from Imperial College London and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)

Date added: Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Major global study reveals new hypertension and blood pressure genes

Thirty-one new gene regions linked with blood pressure have been identified in one of the largest genetic studies of blood pressure to date, involving over 347,000 people, and jointly led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the University of Cambridge. 

Date added: Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Unlocking the genetic mysteries of blood pressure: new research identifies potential causal genes and drug targets

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London and Universities of Manchester, Zaragoza and Oxford, have revealed the genetic underpinnings of blood pressure regulation, offering hope for more effective treatments and preventative measures for hypertension.

Date added: Friday, September 8, 2023

Trust is the most important factor for British South Asians when taking part in genetic research to tailor medications

A study led by Dr Emma Magavern from the Centre of Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine at Queen Mary University of London has gathered detailed insights from the British South Asian community that could lead to more successful implementation of genetic testing to help tailor the use of routine medications.

Date added: Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Researchers identify over 2,000 genetic signals linked to blood pressure in study of over 1 million people

The Queen Mary-led study reveals the most detailed picture yet of genetic contributors to blood pressure. The findings lead to improved polygenic risk scores, which will better predict blood pressure and risk for hypertension.

Date added: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Professor Morris Brown honoured with 2024 Laureate Award from Endocrine Society

Morris Brown, Professor of Endocrine Hypertension at Queen Mary University of London, has been named one of 14 leading endocrinologists to receive the prestigious 2024 Laureate Awards, the top honours in the field.

Date added: Monday, June 17, 2024

New research shows relationship between heart shape and risk of cardiovascular disease

A new multi-national study has revealed that the shape of the heart is influenced in part by genetics and may help predict the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Date added: Thursday, November 14, 2024

New treatment offers quick cure for common cause of high blood pressure

A revolutionary new treatment called Targeted Thermal Therapy (Triple T) offers a safer, faster alternative to surgery for patients with high blood pressure caused by Primary Aldosteronism, a hormonal disorder. 

Date added: Monday, February 10, 2025

Almost 90% of people would agree to genetic testing to tailor medication use, survey finds

New research shows almost 90% of people in England would agree to genetic testing to get the most effective medication and reduce the risk of side effects  85% thought that the NHS should offer pharmacogenomic testing to people with multiple health conditions  58% of people thought that the NHS should offer this testing to everyone  91% wanted access to their own pharmacogenomic data, with many wanting this via the NHS app 

Date added: Thursday, February 20, 2025

Landmark study finds 69 previously unidentified genetic determinants of rare disease

The breakthrough research led by Queen Mary University of London uses a new analytical approach for identifying the genetic basis of rare diseases, which could diagnose more cases and help develop new treatments for patients.

Date added: Thursday, February 27, 2025

From height to health: largest global genetic study reveals hidden risks and benefits linked to stature

New genetic links have been discovered between genetically-predicted height and an individual’s likelihood of developing a range of diseases and conditions. These new data could help improve early diagnosis and risk monitoring for patients.

Date added: Monday, March 3, 2025

Testing patients for just three genes could help prevent three quarters of avoidable side effects of certain medications

A new study from Queen Mary University of London found that 9% of all adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported to the UK medicines regulator are associated with medications where side effect risk is partly dependent on patient’s genes. Of this subset of ADRs, 75% were associated with only three genes that impact how the body processes medication. Genetic testing before prescribing could therefore help avoid ADRs in these cases.

Date added: Friday, March 28, 2025

Professor Morris Brown elected as Fellow of the Royal Society

Professor Morris Brown MD FRCP FMedSci FRS has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences. He is one of 90 outstanding scientists from the UK and internationally who have joined the prestigious body this year.

Date added: Tuesday, May 20, 2025

New injection could help millions with high blood pressure

Results from a clinical trial led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, published yesterday in JAMA, show that giving people with high blood pressure an injection every six months can lead to a meaningful, sustained reduction in their blood pressure.

Date added: Thursday, May 29, 2025

Largest twin study explores whether the environment affects people differently depending on their genes

An international team including researchers from Queen Mary have identified genetic factors that may make some individuals more or less sensitive to the environments they experience.

Date added: Tuesday, June 10, 2025

New drug offers hope of cure for hormone-driven high blood pressure

The commonest single cause of high blood pressure can be reversed with a new class of medicine, according to results from a clinical trial led by Queen Mary University of London. 

Date added: Monday, July 14, 2025

New study warns of alarming decline in high blood pressure control in England

A comprehensive new analysis by researchers at Queen Mary University of London warns that England has lost the substantial gains made in high blood pressure prevention, diagnosis and management during the 2000s.

Date added: Thursday, November 27, 2025