Kings' honours for Barts Health pair
The outstanding careers of two Barts Health doctors have been recognised in The King's first Birthday Honours list, announced today.
Consultant cardiologist and former medical director at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Dr Edward Rowland receives an OBE.
Dr Rowland (pictured left) graduated from St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in the 1960s and trained in cardiology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School and the National Heart Hospital. He developed a specialist interest in heart rhythm abnormalities and grew this interest at the National Heart and Lung Institute, then as director of pacing and electrophysiology at the Royal Brompton National Heart Hospital and as Sugden senior lecturer and consultant cardiologist at St George’s Hospital.
In 2008 Rowland moved to the Heart Hospital (now University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street) as consultant cardiologist then clinical director. In 2012 he was appointed co-chair of a panel to establish the Barts Heart Centre, now the largest cardiovascular service in the UK.
He is a founder member of the European Society of Cardiology and served as President of Heart Rhythm UK (now the British Heart Rhythm Society). In 2020 he received the lifetime achievement award from the Arrhythmia Alliance. He served as medical director of St Bartholomew’s between 2015 and 2022.
Meanwhile, consultant haematologist Professor John Pasi, who until recently was director of our haemophilia services at The Royal London Hospital, is made MBE.
Professor Pasi (right) graduated in medicine from the University of Birmingham in 1983 and completed specialist training in haematology at Birmingham Children's Hospital. In 1993 he was appointed consultant haematologist and honorary senior lecturer at the Royal Free Hospital and School of Medicine.
He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1998 and a year later was named Professor of Haematology at the University of Leicester and head of haematology services at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. He was made Professor of Haemostasis and Thrombosis at Queen Mary University of London in 2003 and was appointed director of the haemophilia centre at The Royal London until 2021. His research has focussed on bringing transformational new treatments to patients using the latest scientific advances in biology and genetics. John also led the first successful programmes for gene therapy in haemophilia A. He now works in the pharmaceutical sector leading global end-to-end discovery and development of new therapies for non-malignant haematology conditions.
Edward said: "I wish this OBE could be shared with all the brilliant people I have worked with over many, many years. Wonderful and humbling though it is to receive this award, I still regard being able to work at Barts as my greatest honour."
John said: "I am delighted to be honoured with an MBE for research and NHS work that, with the team at Queen Mary and Barts Health, hopefully has pioneered the opportunity to realise long-lasting and positive change for clinical care in haematology."