We are lucky enough to have many world-leading researchers within the NIHR Leicester BRC.
Some of them have taken some time out to tell us about what they’re currently working on.
Take a few minutes if you can to watch or read on.
Professor Laura Gray
Professor Laura Gray is Professor of Medical Statistics at the University of Leicester, with a strong and sustained track record of leading cross-disciplinary research spanning methodological and applied clinical areas.
Laura is the co-theme lead for our Data Innovation for Multiple Long Term Health Conditions theme.
Her work focuses on the identification, prevention and management of chronic conditions and multiple long-term conditions (MLTC), with the aim of improving patient outcomes and informing healthcare practice.
Her methodological research is motivated by practical challenges arising in applied health research. She specialises in clinical trials, predictive modelling and evidence synthesis, developing and applying advanced statistical methods to support prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment research.
Professor Gray collaborates widely with clinicians, epidemiologists and public health researchers, ensuring that methodological innovation is translated into meaningful improvements in healthcare. She is particularly passionate about embedding meaningful patient and public involvement in statistical methodology research and has played a leading role in developing the PPI-SMART (Patient and Public Involvement for Statistical Methodology and Research Techniques) community of practice, supporting researchers across the UK and internationally.
Alongside her research leadership, she is committed to training and mentoring the next generation of researchers in medical statistics and quantitative health sciences.
Professor Claire Meek
Professor Claire Meek is Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy at the University of Leicester and a Consultant Metabolic Physician within University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Claire is a member of our Lifestyle theme.
She leads the diabetes in pregnancy service in Leicester, supporting a large and diverse population of women with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Her work integrates clinical care with research, focusing on improving outcomes for both mothers and babies affected by metabolic disease.
Professor Meek trained in medicine at the University of Glasgow and developed her academic career at the University of Cambridge, where she investigated nutritional interventions for glycaemic control and weight management. She contributed to the landmark CONCEPTT trial, which demonstrated the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring in pregnancy and influenced international clinical practice.
Her research portfolio includes major observational and interventional studies, such as the DiGest trial examining dietary strategies for gestational diabetes. She has also been recognised with prestigious awards, including a Diabetes UK fellowship and a Future Leaders’ Award from the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes.
Professor Meek’s work is characterised by a strong translational focus, aiming to optimise metabolic health before, during and after pregnancy. She is widely regarded as a leader in the field, helping shape both national and international approaches to diabetes care in pregnancy.
Professor Dean Fennell
Professor Dean Fennell is a physician scientist focused on advancing stratified therapy and immuno-oncology for patients with mesothelioma.
Dean is a member of our Personalised Cancer and Prevention theme.
He has designed and led several investigator-initiated trials from phase 1 through phase III (including NERO, CONFIRM, VIM, MIST, MESO2, SELECT). His lab currently focuses on novel precision medicine strategies and understanding mesothelioma evolution.
He was past president of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG), past NCRI mesothelioma chair. He co-authored both the UK BTS, and European (ESMO, ERS) mesothelioma treatment guidelines, and served two terms on the EORTC board.
Professor Fennell held CRUK clinician scientist and MRC doctoral fellowships.
He originally trained in pharmacology and medicine at University College London, then completed medical training in the London Golden circuit, with Medical Oncology specialist training at Barts Hospital, London. He has published 191 peer reviewed articles in journals including The Lancet, Lancet Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature.
He was the 2023 recipient of two international prizes; the IMIG Senior Investigator Research Medal, and also the MARF Pioneer award. In 2023 he became a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, and in 2024 was elected as a fellow of the academy of medical sciences, and and Life Fellow of the European Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2025 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science.
Professor Melanie Davies
Director of the NIHR Leicester BRC and world-leading diabetes researcher discusses the impact of our Lifestyle theme’s research on policy.
Professor Gerry McCann
Gerry McCann is BHF Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester.
Gerry leads our Cardiovascular theme.
Professor McCann was a full-time NHS consultant before transitioning to academia through a series of NIHR fellowships and a Research Professorship.
He is the Cardiovascular theme lead for the and Intervention theme lead for the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence.
His research focuses on using advanced imaging techniques to better understand the mechanisms of heart disease, including myocardial injury, heart failure, aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease. His collaborative work has contributed significantly to improving diagnostic accuracy and guiding treatment decisions in clinical cardiology with multiple studies that have influenced major International guidelines.
Professor McCann leads a major programme aiming to improve our understanding of how type 2 diabetes progresses towards heart failure and he also leads the largest-ever trial of timing of intervention in aortic stenosis- the BHF funded EASY-AS trial.
Through his combined clinical, academic work and capacity building, he has helped establish Leicester as a leading centre for cardiovascular imaging research. His contributions continue to shape how imaging technologies are used to improve patient care and outcomes in cardiovascular medicine.
Professor Karen Brown
Professor Karen Brown is Director of the Leicester Cancer Research Centre at the University of Leicester and joint lead of the Leicester Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, contributing to the institution’s internationally recognised programme of translational cancer research.
Karen is a member of our Personalised Cancer Prevention and Treatment theme.
Her research is focussed on the discovery and preclinical development of agents for the prevention of cancer in populations at increased risk, optimising the clinical translation of these therapies and conducting early and late phase trials.
She currently leads the UK wide COLO-PREVENT trial, a world first prevention trial platform – which is seeking to find out if drugs including aspirin and metformin, and food supplements such as resveratrol can prevent bowel polyps in high-risk individuals, as well as improving understanding of how these therapies work.
Working within a multidisciplinary environment, Professor Brown collaborates closely with clinicians, laboratory scientists, trial teams, patients and members of the public, to ensure that research findings are effectively translated into improved cancer prevention strategies.
To help drive research in this area, in 2013 Professor Brown established the UK Therapeutic Cancer Prevention Network, as a special interest group within the NIHR/CRUK funded Experimental Cancer Medicines Centres Network. As Co-Chair of the UKTCPN, Karen will lead extension of the network across all BRCs with an interest in cancer precision prevention.
Professor Brown has particular expertise in coordinating and supporting research programmes that bridge laboratory and clinical settings, helping to advance innovations from early discovery through to application in real-world healthcare. She plays an important role in sustaining Leicester’s strong research infrastructure, contributing to grant development, study delivery and collaborative partnerships.
Through her work, Professor Brown contributes to a research culture that prioritises patient benefit, innovation and scientific excellence. Her contributions underpin ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for individuals at risk of cancer through better therapeutic intervention strategies and more personalised care approaches.
Professor Matt Bown
Professor Matt Bown is the BHF Chair of Vascular Surgery and Head of Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester, and a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Matt is part of our Cardiovascular theme.
He is a leading authority in vascular disease, with particular expertise in aneurysms and peripheral arterial disease.
His research integrates clinical practice with genetics, epidemiology and population health, aiming to better understand the causes and progression of vascular conditions. He has led and contributed to major studies investigating the genetic basis of abdominal aortic aneurysm and other vascular disorders.
Professor Bown’s work is highly translational, informing both clinical decision-making and public health strategies. He has played a key role in advancing screening, risk prediction and management approaches for vascular disease.
In addition to his research, he is actively involved in clinical service delivery and surgical training, contributing to the development of best practice in vascular surgery. His work has had a significant impact on improving outcomes for patients with vascular conditions, both in the UK and internationally.
Professor Martha Clokie
From our Respiratory and Infectious Diseases theme introduces her work into Phage research at the recently re-named Becky Mayer Centre for Phage Research.
Dr Elpida Vounzoulaki
From our Lifestyle theme talks about the research we are doing into women’s health conditions, specifically gestational diabetes.
Dr Pranabashis Haldar & Dr Helen O’Hare
from our Respiratory and Infectious Diseases theme talk about our commitment to improving our understanding of TB through scientific research.
Look out for more coming soon!