Queen Mary University of London’s Professor Sir Mark Caulfield Honored with Stokes Medal for Cardiovascular Contributions

The Stokes Medal is awarded by the Irish Cardiac Society at their annual conference. Each year, an individual who made an outstanding contribution to the profession of cardiology and who has Irish connections is invited to deliver the Stokes Lecture to the membership body.  

During his career, Professor Caulfield has made substantial contributions to the discovery of genes related to blood pressure, cardiovascular health, cancer and rare diseases. His research has changed national and international guidance for high blood pressure. The Stokes lecturer is presented with the Irish Cardiac Society Stokes Medal. 

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield delivered his lecture on ‘The 100,000 Genomes Project: transforming healthcare’. From 2013-2021, Sir Mark served as Chief Scientist for Genomics England, charged with delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project on whole genome sequencing in rare disease, cancer and infection.  

The 100,000 Genomes Project was a hugely ambitious project that oversaw the sequencing of 100,000 genomes from around 85,000 NHS patients affected by rare disease and cancer. It led to major insights into the role of genomics in health, which has shaped – and continues to shape – how we understand disease and the role of genomics in creating better health outcomes for patients. Sir Mark continues this legacy through his role as VP Health for Queen Mary, championing genomics as a way to tackle health inequalities and deliver better health for all, while fortifying Queen Mary as a world leader in precision healthcare.