My main areas of interest are the aetiology, mechanisms of disease and modes of prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with a specific focus on ethnic minorities both in the UK and abroad. 

I lead the Southall and Brent REvisited (SABRE) study, a tri-ethnic population based cohort of Europeans, South Asians and African Caribbeans aged 40-69 years at inception between 1988-91.  This cohort has been followed for 25 years, funded by the Wellcome Trust, British Heart Foundation, MRC and Diabetes UK.  This cohort identifies the 3-4 fold excess risks of diabetes in minority ethnic groups.  Both South Asians and African Caribbeans have elevated stroke risk compared to Europeans, and South Asians also have excess heart disease.  Paradoxically, heart disease rates in African Caribbeans are half that of the general population.  Re-study of the cohort includes detailed vascular imaging, including echocardiography, ultrasound and MRI, and metabolic phenotyping including metabolomics, epigenetic and genetic studies.  The focus of investigation now is disease and health in older age.  

I have a portfolio of activity of non-communciable disease in countries of origin of migrants to the UK, which includes aetiological and interventional work. 

I performed a leading role in the largest observational cohort of people with type 1 diabetes (EURODIAB), and in clincal trials to prevent or slow complications in diabetes (DIRECT and EUCLID).