Meet our new professors
Justin Mason, Professor of Vascular Rheumatology, National Heart and Lung Institute.
The lecture is free to attend and open to all, but registration in advance in required – contact the events team for your place.
To interact about this lecture on Twitter, use the hashtag #vascularhealth.
Abstract
The cells of the vascular endothelium line our blood vessels and would cover more than 350 square metres if laid out flat. They regulate blood flow and protect our tissues from potentially harmful substances circulating in the blood, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, activated leukocytes and oxidatively modified low-density lipoproteins.
My research investigates the molecules involved in protecting our tissues and regulating the functions of blood vessels. A detailed understanding of these will aid the design of new treatments by which blood vessels can be conditioned to reduce the development of diseases including atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. This work is done in conjunction with patients with large vessel vasculitis, a disease that is often diagnosed late and lacks an established treatment regime.
I will describe how I developed an interest in vascular rheumatology and summarise progress towards the goal of improving the lives of cardiovascular patients.
Biography
Professor Justin Mason is Professor of Vascular Rheumatology and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at Imperial College London. He trained in Medicine at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, and in Rheumatology at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital.
During his career he has been the recipient of a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Fellowship, and Arthritis Research UK Intermediate and Senior Clinical Fellowships.
Professor Mason’s current research interests include investigation of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of vascular endothelial protection and their potential for therapeutic manipulation. He also carries out clinical research into the use of non-invasive imaging modalities for the assessment of vascular inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with vasculitis.