Education and Training

Continual training and education are vital in scientific research. The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute at UCL is a founder and key supporter of educational platforms both locally and internationally.

Our ongoing educational involvement is guided by our key objectives:

  • To maintain a role as a world leader in cardiovascular research and increase knowledge and teaching in this key area.
  • To maintain a strong relationship between basic and clinical scientists – this fundamental association remains pivotal to our overall research direction.
  • To maintain a successful programme for graduate training of clinical and non-clinical scientist for the degrees of MD, and PhD.
  • To maintain a strong publication record, based upon hypothesis driven research which has direct clinical relevance.
  • To provide internationally recognised educational programmes comprising of workshops, symposia as well as major international conferences.
  • To continue to seek and maintain a successful funding base from grant awarding bodies such as The British Heart Foundation, The Wellcome Trust, The Rosetrees Trust and the Medical Research Council.

Initiatives

In 1996, under the leadership of the then Provost of UCL, Sir Derek Roberts and the Vice Chancellor of University of Cape Town, Professor Ramphele Mamphele, Professor Yellon was instrumental in creating a unique link between University College London and the University of Cape Town. This link resulted in the establishment of a second Hatter Cardiology Institute at the University of Cape Town and created an environment for close collaboration and educational activities to thrive.

At the Limits Medical Education Meetings

For the past 24 years, The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute at University College London, in partnership with and the University of Cape Town, the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard and The Lancet have held an annual meeting entitled Cardiology, Diabetes & Nephrology at the Limits. This educational meeting enables leading clinical academics from over 25 countries worldwide, to meet with senior clinicians in a stimulating academic environment to hear the very latest thinking on a range of diverse but highly important topics that are challenging cardiologists, diabetologists and nephrologists.

Each year, these meetings include two named Lectures, The Hatter Award Lecture and The Lancet Lecture. These invited lectures are given by leaders in their field and showcase cutting edge and exciting research. Click below to see the list of past speakers.

The Hatter Award Lectures

The Lancet Lectures

The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute International Workshop on Cardioprotection

Every two years the HCI leads an international workshop in which 20 of the world’s leading basic and clinical scientists are invited to discuss and debate the future direction of myocardial protection. These meetings are now in their 12th year and a report is published at the end of each meeting in leading scientific journals.

Read Workshop Published Reports

The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute SpR MDT Grand Rounds Meetings

Initiated in 2020, this annual meeting provides an interactive and engaging multidisciplinary team (MDT) forum for resident doctors across the UK to debate and discuss MDT case studies, specifically in the areas of Cardiology, Nephrology and Diabetes. What started first with secondary care, these meetings have now expanded to also include primary care doctors who have contributed an important perspective relative to the gap between Primary and Secondary Care.

The format for these meetings is for resident SpR doctors to present challenging cases from their own experiences and discuss with their peers in the other related specialties, probing opinions on clinical treatment directions.  The aim is to create an interactive and engaging session while disseminating the important MDT aspects. 

Horizons Meetings

The HCI has always had an active interest the relationship between co-morbidities such as Diabetes and its effect on cardiovascular disease. Since the recent and very important outcome studies, with new therapies including the GLP-1 analogues and the SGLT2 inhibitors, the HCI has initiated educational meetings in this area. The aim of these meetings is to discuss and debate how they facilitate cardioprotection for the benefit of patients at risk.

 

 

The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute has a very successful programme for postgraduate training of clinical and non-clinical scientists for the degrees of MD(Research) and PhD – having trained over 80 clinical and basic scientists to completion to date. At present the Institute has a staff in excess of 30 including clinical and basic scientists, physiotherapists, and cardiac rehabilitation nurses. It contributes towards the teaching of medical students at all levels as well as provides research projects for BSc & MSc students.

The HCI initiated a very successful collaboration with The Wellington Hospital. These Fellowships are equivalent to a MRC/BHF or Wellcome Trust grant and supports the fees for resident doctors while in training. This programme has been running for over 15 years during which time we have supervised to completion over 40 Clinical Research Fellows for their higher degrees.