Dr. Professor Sir Nilesh J. Samani, BSc, MD, FRCP, FACC, FESC, FAHA, FMedSci

Professor Sir Nilesh J. Samani, BSc, MD, FRCP, FACC, FESC, FAHA, FMedSci, is a cardiologist and cardiovascular geneticist at University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in Leicester, United Kingdom, where the focus of his work is cardiovascular genetics and adult cardiology. The current appointment of Dr. Nilesh Samani is Professor of Cardiology and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist.

Dr. Nilesh Samani served as Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation from 2016 until December 2023, overseeing the research funding and medical activities of the United Kingdom’s leading funder of non commercial cardiovascular research. He was appointed knighted.

A clinician scientist in cardiology is medically qualified and trained in cardiology, and spends most of the working week on research rather than on clinics. The output is evidence: trials, cohort studies and the guidelines built from them. Dr. Nilesh Samani works in cardiovascular genetics and adult cardiology.

Dr. Nilesh Samani Profile Summary

• Full Name And Credentials: Professor Sir Nilesh J. Samani, BSc, MD, FRCP, FACC, FESC, FAHA, FMedSci
• Profession: Cardiologist and cardiovascular geneticist
• Field Of Focus: Cardiovascular genetics and adult cardiology
• Current Position: Professor of Cardiology and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist
• Institution: University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
• Location: Leicester, United Kingdom
• Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
• Previous Appointments: Served as Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation from 2016 until December 2023, overseeing the research funding and medical activities of the United Kingdom’s leading funder of non commercial cardiovascular research

Dr. Nilesh Samani Education And Medical Qualifications

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: BSc with first class honours, University of Leicester, 1978
• Medical Degree: MD, University of Leicester, graduating in 1981 as part of the first intake of its medical school
• Professional Standing: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences

Dr. Nilesh Samani Scope Of Practice

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Nilesh Samani as centred on:

• Genetics of coronary artery disease
• Genetics of hypertension and blood pressure
• Telomere biology and cardiovascular ageing
• Precision medicine and digital health
• Interventional cardiology and ischaemic heart disease

Dr. Nilesh Samani Current And Past Appointments

• Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester
• Co-Director of the Leicester Apollo Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine
• Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester from 2003 to 2016
• Director of the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Unit in Cardiovascular Diseases from 2009 to 2016
• Former Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation
• Emeritus NIHR Senior Investigator
• Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire

Awards And Honours Received By Dr. Nilesh Samani

• Knighted in 2015 for services to medicine and medical research
• Gold Medal of the European Society of Cardiology, 2021, its highest honour
• Mackenzie Medal of the British Cardiovascular Society
• Okamoto Award of the Japanese Circulation Foundation
• Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, the American College of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology and the American Heart Association
• His work on how DNA affects heart disease risk helped establish Leicester as an internationally recognised centre for cardiovascular research

Dr. Nilesh Samani Primary Location

University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Leicester, United Kingdom. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

The Role Of Cardiovascular Genetics In Cardiology Today

Inherited heart disease runs in families because it is caused by a change in a single gene. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle thickens, is the commonest, and there are also inherited rhythm disorders and conditions affecting the aorta. Most people with these conditions live normal lives, but a minority face a real risk of dangerous rhythms, and modern care is largely about telling those groups apart. Because a diagnosis has implications for relatives, specialist clinics assess and follow whole families rather than single patients.

Other Cardiologists Working In Cardiovascular Genetics

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

• Dr. Perry Elliott, inherited cardiac disease and cardiomyopathy at University College London and Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew’s Hospital
• Dr. Sanjay Sharma, sports cardiology and inherited cardiac disease at City St George’s, University of London, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Cleveland Clinic London
• Dr. Andrea Natale, catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St David’s Medical Center
• Dr. Barbara Casadei, atrial fibrillation and translational cardiology at University of Oxford Radcliffe Department of Medicine and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

How To Request An Appointment With Dr. Nilesh Samani

Dr. Nilesh Samani practises adult cardiology at the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, and also sees private patients with remote consultations available. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Questions About Dr. Nilesh Samani Answered

What does Dr. Nilesh Samani specialise in?

Dr. Nilesh Samani is a cardiologist and cardiovascular geneticist whose work centres on cardiovascular genetics and adult cardiology. Particular areas of focus include genetics of coronary artery disease; and genetics of hypertension and blood pressure.

Where is Dr. Nilesh Samani based?

Dr. Nilesh Samani works at University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in Leicester, United Kingdom.

Does Dr. Nilesh Samani see patients?

Yes. Dr. Nilesh Samani practises adult cardiology at the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, and also sees private patients with remote consultations available. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Nilesh Samani study?

MD, University of Leicester, graduating in 1981 as part of the first intake of its medical school. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Nilesh Samani?

Professor Sir Nilesh J. Samani, BSc, MD, FRCP, FACC, FESC, FAHA, FMedSci. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences.

What position does Dr. Nilesh Samani hold?

Dr. Nilesh Samani is Professor of Cardiology and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, based at University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Source References For Dr. Nilesh Samani

• University of Leicester profile
• British Heart Foundation announcement
• Health Data Research UK profile

Last Reviewed And Sourcing For Dr. Nilesh Samani

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Update note: Served as Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation from 2016 until December 2023, overseeing the research funding and medical activities of the United Kingdom’s leading funder of non commercial cardiovascular research.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Heart Health Information Notice For Dr. Nilesh Samani

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with University of Leicester and the Cardiac Centre at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.