Martin R. Wilkins

Professor Martin R. Wilkins is a Clinical Professor of Pharmacology at Imperial College London's National Heart & Lung Institute, part of the Faculty of Medicine. He leads the NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital and directs research into pulmonary hypertension (PH), focusing on molecular mechanisms and drug development. His work has contributed to two drug classes—phosphodiesterase inhibitors and soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators—for PAH treatment. Current research integrates genetics, proteomics, and metabolomics to identify novel targets and personalized therapies, including zinc transport inhibition and imatinib trials.

Education: MB ChB (University of Birmingham, ongoing since 1979), MD (University of Birmingham, ongoing since 1988), DSc (Imperial College London, 2023). Awards include UK Academy of Medical Sciences election (2015) and honorary Pharmaceutical Medicine fellowship (2023). He is Past-President of the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI). Affiliations include the British Heart Foundation Centre for Research Excellence, the Centre for Advanced Therapeutics, and multiple networks in antimicrobial optimization, vascular science, and microbiome research.

Research Interests: PAH pathogenesis, precision medicine, omics-based approaches, drug repurposing, and clinical trial design. His studies explore biomarkers (microRNAs, proteomics), genetic variants (e.g., SOX17, PTPN1), and mechanistic pathways linking inflammation and vascular dysfunction. Recent work highlights the role of the activin signaling system and epigenetic modulation in PH progression.

Scientific Contributions: Over 150 peer-reviewed articles (2023–2025) address PAH subtyping, therapeutic efficacy, and patient stratification. Key projects include the PVRI GoDeep meta-registry, CIPHER biomarker studies, and StratosPHere trials evaluating hydroxychloroquine and phenylbutyrate. Collaborations span clinical, translational, and computational domains, with a focus on bridging basic science to bedside care.

Awards: Notable honors include the DSc (2023) for research contributions and recognition by the PVRI. Grants and funding from the British Heart Foundation, NIHR, and international consortia support his work.

Labs/Teams: Directs the NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at Imperial College, PVRI, and affiliated centers. Expertise in translational medicine drives initiatives like engineered pulmonary artery tissues for drug testing and wearable technology for PAH monitoring.