National award recognises leading cardiovascular research
Congratulations to Dr Paz (Upasana) Tayal, a cardiologist at Royal Brompton Hospital and an associate professor at Imperial College London, on being awarded the highly regarded British Heart Foundation-British Cardiovascular Society (BHF-BCS) Michael Davies Career Award.
The national award recognises researchers who have built independent careers and made significant contributions to cardiovascular science.
Dr Tayal’s research focuses on dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a major cause of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Her work brings together genetics, advanced imaging and population research to better understand why the condition affects people so differently. It explores how genetic changes interact with factors such as sex, pregnancy and environmental exposures, and how this can improve diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, as well as guide the development of new therapies.
She also leads national clinical trials developing new treatments for DCM, including the KINSHIP trial, with Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals acting as the UK lead site and Dr Tayal as national chief investigator.
A key focus of her research is improving understanding of the genetic basis of DCM. Through large international collaborations, Dr Tayal has contributed to identifying which genes truly cause disease and how they influence patient outcomes. Her research has also highlighted important differences between men and women, showing that genetic risk can present and progress in different ways depending on sex, and challenging traditional “one-size-fits-all” approaches to care.
Understanding sex differences is now a central theme in Dr Tayal’s research. Her studies have shown that although women with DCM may appear to have milder changes on heart scans, they can still experience worse outcomes than men. This has helped uncover previously unrecognised risk factors and is beginning to change how clinicians assess and manage patients.
Dr Tayal has also made major contributions to women’s cardiovascular health, particularly in understanding how pregnancy-related conditions can affect long-term heart health. Her research shows that complications such as high blood pressure during pregnancy can increase the risk of cardiomyopathy later in life. Through national initiatives like the PREG-HEART registry, she is helping to bring reproductive health into discussions about lifelong cardiovascular care.
Her leadership has had impact well beyond academia. Her work has influenced international guidelines, shaped national policy on women’s cardiovascular health, and supported the development of the next generation of researchers. The Michael Davies Award recognises both what she has already achieved and the impact her work is expected to continue to have on patient care.
On receiving the award, Dr Tayal said:
“It’s a real honour to receive this award and to have the impact of our work in cardiomyopathies recognised nationally. I’m also particularly pleased to learn that Prof Barbara Casadei founded the award, which makes the recognition especially meaningful.
“The award is a great source of motivation to me and my group, to continue our work to improve outcomes for patients with cardiomyopathy. The award reflects a collective effort rather than an individual achievement. Our research is only possible because of the outstanding collaborative ecosystem at the Trust and University for cardiomyopathy research and the support of the cardiomyopathy clinical team.”