Reconnect with Prof. Jane Somerville

Jane Somerville, cardiologist, Emeritus Professor of Cardiology at Imperial College, grew up wanting to be a cardiac surgeon but found herself better suited to a career in cardiology. Despite this, her work led her to be surrounded by cardiac surgeons and going into theatre with them, which she loved. In fact, she ended up being part of the team who performed the first heart transplant at the National Heart Hospital in London in 1968.

Jane explains, “It was the one of the great excitements of one’s career because one really didn't know what was going to happen. There was a lot of new medicine and Donald Ross was the first to do a successful heart transplant in the United Kingdom. Although others think it was Sir Terence English, it was not. It was all very exciting!”

As Jane’s career progressed, she worked at the Heart Hospital and Royal Brompton, helping to successfully establish the adult congenital heart disease service.

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