Hull researchers receive £869,000 grant for fat in blood research

The team from Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull will use the funding to investigate the effect on clotting and how this in turn increases the risk of heart attack or stroke.

The aim of the five-year study is to help doctors improve their understanding of the impact of blood clots and develop new medicines to prevent heart disease.

Professor of cardiovascular biology Khalid Naseem, the principal researcher on the project, said: “Our research has been very well supported by the foundation for a number of years and the award of a programme grant allows us to significantly expand the scope of our work, focusing on understanding the link between fat, blood platelets and heart disease.”

The premature death rate from coronary heart disease is significantly higher in Hull than the rest of Yorkshire and above average when compared with the rest of England.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the foundation, said: ‘Although we have made great strides in improving the treatment of heart disease, it still accounts for one in eight deaths in Hull each year. And we don’t yet fully understand the biology behind the disease process – improved understanding will mean improved treatments that could prevent heart attacks and save lives.”

The latest funding follows more than £900,000 of investment from the charity to the medical school and university since 2010 to pursue world-class cardiovascular and metabolic research.

The university is also investing in medical training and research with a £28m health campus currently under construction.