UK Pharmacologist Amrita Ahluwalia elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences

London: Professor Ahluwalia has been elected to the Academy for her outstanding work in vascular pharmacology. She joins this year’s 58 other new Fellows, who have all been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing biomedical and health sciences, ground-breaking research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

Amrita is Dean for Research for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Lead of the Vascular Pharmacology Group, and Director of the Barts Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Unit. She is Chair of the Basic and Translational Section of The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.

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She is the author of over 340 academic papers, and the focus of her current research is the exploration of the impact of inflammation on cardiovascular function and the mechanisms involved, with a view to identifying novel targets and therapeutics.

Alongside her ground-breaking research, Professor Ahluwalia is also a passionate advocate for equality in the workplace. She established the first National mentoring scheme for women of a learned society (British Pharmacological Society) in 2005. She was also the first Chair of the Women in Pharmacology Committee of the same society from 2007-2010 that established the Astra Zeneca Women in Pharmacology Prize.

She led the award of the first Athena Swan Silver prize for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and is the first female EiC of the internationally leading British Journal of Pharmacology (2016-current).

Professor Ahluwalia said, "It's a real honour to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. I'm really chuffed. Thank you to my proposers for putting me forward - they know who they are!"

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, VP Health, said, “I am delighted that Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, our Dean for Research and Professor of Vascular Pharmacology, has been elected today to the Academy of Medical Sciences today. This is a tremendous recognition of her enormous contribution to cardiovascular pharmacology over many years. Her highly cited work on the role of nitric oxide in treatment of blood pressure, heart failure and coronary disease has had major impact and launched many successful clinical and scientific careers. She has also led important work on women and vascular health. Amrita is unusual in that alongside clinicians she has led major clinical trials and oversees our Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Unit. It gives me particular pleasure to see a colleague with whom I have worked since the mid-nineties in the William Harvey Research Institute celebrated for her major contribution to pharmacology. Everyone in Medicine and Dentistry should feel proud today!”

The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent, expert body representing the diversity of medical science in the UK. Its mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. The Academy's elected Fellows are the most influential scientists in the UK and worldwide, drawn from the NHS, academia, industry and the public service. Fellowship of the Academy is based on exceptional contributions to the medical sciences, either in the form of original discovery or sustained contributions to scholarship.

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