- Dr Derek Connolly has been appointed as a Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow
- He specialises in the detection, treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease
- He leads one of the UK’s largest secondary prevention programmes.
Aston University is pleased to announce the appointment of leading Birmingham cardiologist, Dr Derek Connolly, as a Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow and Senior Advisor (Health Research).
Dr Connolly is recognised for his significant contribution to the development of the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease of which he specialises in the detection, treatment and prevention of the condition.
He is a consultant cardiologist and until recently was the director for research and development at Sandwell and West Birmingham Healthcare Trust where he was responsible for naming the new super hospital, the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
He has been the chief/primary investigator in several large clinical trials in cardiovascular medicine and was responsible for developing one of the UK's earliest large cardiac CT programmes as well as one of the UK's first primary angioplasty programmes. He is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology and is on the Council of the UK Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, the largest such society in the World.
Last year he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Aston University and was appointed as a visiting clinical associate professor for Aston Medical School.
This latest honorary appointment will support the delivery of the Aston University strategy and the Vice-Chancellor’s and Aston’s engagement in key strategic health-related areas locally, nationally and internationally.
Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:
“I am delighted that Dr Derek Connolly will be taking up the honorary appointment Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow. Derek is admired by many, nationally and internationally, including the Aston University community, for his clinical excellence and his exceptional achievements in health research and practice.
“I look forward to working with him and benefiting from his wealth of experience which will support the achievement of our ambitions that we have set out in our 2030 strategy.”
Dr Connolly said:
“Aston University is such a thrilling place to be and you can truly feel the progress being made. It will be an honour to help the University reach the high goals it is aiming for."
Dr Connolly follows prominent lawyer and advocate for equality and diversity, Dr Inez Brown and business and community leader and philanthropist Dr Doug Wright MBE who have also taken up the role as Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellows.
- Notes to editors
About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming the Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Helen Tunnicliffe, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7827 090240 or email: h.tunnicliffe@aston.ac.uk.
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