Professor Melanie Madhani

Melanie Madhani is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Birmingham, where she leads an internationally recognised translational research programme focused on understanding the mechanisms that drive cardiovascular disease and developing new therapeutic strategies. Her research investigates the redox biology of nitrite, nitric oxide and hydropersulfide signalling, with the aim of uncovering new mechanisms that protect the heart and blood vessels and translating these discoveries towards clinical benefit.

Melanie graduated from the University of Wales College of Medicine (UK) and Dartmouth College (USA), before undertaking British Heart Foundation-funded postdoctoral research at University College London and King’s College London. She was subsequently awarded a prestigious UCL Bogue Fellowship to work with Nobel Laureate Dr Louis Ignarro at the University of California, Los Angeles, further developing her expertise in vascular biology and nitric oxide signalling.

Since establishing her research group at the University of Birmingham in 2009, Melanie has built a multidisciplinary programme bringing together vascular biology, cardiac physiology and redox biology to address major unmet challenges in cardiovascular medicine. Her research spans fundamental discovery through to translational and clinical research, with a particular focus on identifying mechanisms that can be harnessed to develop innovative therapies for cardiovascular disease.

Her research programme is underpinned by extensive international collaborations with leading scientists and clinicians across the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, including partnerships with John Hopkins, Tohoku University, Prince of Wales Hospital Hong Kong, and the National Heart Centre Singapore.

Her contributions to cardiovascular research and international collaboration have been recognised through the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship Award (2022). She also holds an Adjunct Honorary appointment at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and National Heart Centre Singapore. Melanie also serves as a member of the MRC Experimental Medicine Grant Panel.

Alongside her research, Melanie serves as Head of Global Engagement in Research and Reputation for the College of Medicine and Health (CMH) at the University of Birmingham, providing strategic leadership in international partnerships and strengthening the global impact and reputation of CMH and cardiovascular research.

• Lectures for Cardiovascular modules to BMed Sc, MBChB, and MRes  programmes
• Personal Mentor for MBChB
• Postgraduate supervision for basic scientists and clinicians

Professor Madhani welcomes applications from self-funded MRes and PhD candidates interested in pursuing innovative research in cardiovascular science, spanning basic, translational and clinical research.

Research opportunities are available in:

• Redox signalling in health and disease — investigating their roles in cardiovascular protection, vascular function and cardiovascular disease.
• Cardiometabolism in ischaemic heart disease and heart failure — exploring how metabolic pathways influence cardiac function and identifying new therapeutic opportunities.

Candidates interested in developing projects within these research areas are encouraged to get in touch to discuss potential research opportunities.

Professor Madhani leads a multidisciplinary research programme focused on discovering new mechanisms, therapeutic targets and interventions for cardiovascular disease. Her research spans fundamental discovery through to clinical translation, with the ultimate goal of developing more effective strategies to protect the heart and improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Research focuses

Protecting the heart from ischaemia-reperfusion injury

Developing novel cardioprotective strategies to reduce myocardial injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and identifying mechanisms that determine recovery following ischaemia and reperfusion.

Redox signalling and cardiovascular protection: 

Defining the therapeutic potential of novel redox mediators in hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury and heart failure, with a focus on identifying new pathways that can be targeted to preserve cardiovascular function.

Cardiac metabolism in heart failure

Investigating how altered cardiac metabolism contributes to heart failure and evaluating novel metabolic agents as a potential metabolic therapeutic strategy to improve cardiac function.

Cardiovascular disease in East Asian populations

Investigating the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms underlying ischaemic heart disease in East Asian populations, with the aim of identifying population-specific mechanisms and opportunities for more effective prevention and treatment.

• Head of Global Engagement for College of Medicine and Health at University of Birmingham (2024-present)
• MRC Experimental Medicine Grant Panel (2024-present)
• NC3Rs Studentship Grant Assessment Panel Member (2020-2024)
• Treasurer for the British Society for Cardiovascular Research (2014-2019)
• Adjunct Professor at the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Adjunct Honorary position at the National Heart Centre Singapore
• Review Editor of Frontiers in Clinical & Translational Physiology (2009- present)
• Associate Editor for International Journal for Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2006-2013)
• Bulletin Editor for the British Society for Cardiovascular Research (2009-2013)