I am a consultant cardiac surgeon specialising in adult cardiac surgery at Barts Heart Centre at St Bartholomew's Hospital. As a consultant I have developed a special interest in coronary artery surgery, aortic valve replacement, aortic root replacement, and aortic dissection surgery. I also perform TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) in the Heart Hospital TAVI team. As a cardiac surgeon able to perform both TAVI and surgical aortic valve replacement I am ideally placed to give an unbiased opinion on the treatment options for each individual patient.

I graduated from Dundee University in 1996 and following surgical training in the North West became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1999. I then completed a fellowship in Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in Leicester, followed by specialist higher surgical training in adult cardiothoracic surgery in Sheffield, St George's Hospital London and Harefield Hospital.

In 2007 I was awarded an MD by the University of London for a research thesis into Endothelial Progenitor (stem) cells in cardiac surgery which was funded by the award of a British Heart Foundation research fellowship. In 2008 I was awarded the McCormack (gold) Medal for achieving the highest mark across the UK and Ireland in the cardiothoracic surgery speciality examination.

I then became the first cardiac surgical trainee to be awarded a fellowship by the British Society of Endovascular Therapy to pursue endovascular training which took place at St Mary's Hospital London. Prior to my consultant appointment I was the trainee representative for cardiothoracic trainees throughout London.

I have presented widely at both national and international conferences and have over 20 publications in peer reviewed journals.