Paz (Upasana) Tayal

Paz is an MRC Clinician Scientist and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. She is also a Consultant Cardiologist (clinical doctor) in inherited cardiac conditions at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London.

"The autonomy and creativity to think about the bigger picture is what I enjoy most about research. In clinical medicine, we are rightly focussed on the patient right in front of us and how can we make that patient better. In research, we can think about how to make things better for all patients, and that’s really special."

Paz grew up in Sunderland in the North East of England. Her parents were the first in their family to go to University. She is now a very busy mum to 3 young children and she works full time, combining a clinical and academic career.

She graduated from the University of Oxford with Merit. In 2014 she was awarded an MRC (Medical Research Council) Clinical Research Training Fellowship to do a PhD at Imperial College in the genetic and phenotypic assessment of dilated cardiomyopathy. This work was awarded the National Heart Lung Institute Best Thesis Prize in 2018.

After completing her PhD, she wanted to stay in academic medicine so continued in the department as a Clinical Lecturer, and most recently, she was awarded a major grant from the MRC to study why there are differences between male and female patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. As an academic cardiologist, she continues to focus on research into cardiomyopathy as well as continuing her clinical practice looking after patients with cardiomyopathy.

"Don’t be afraid of failure. It’s part and parcel of a research career. Talent will only get you so far, it’s your resilience that will take you to the top. When you see successful people, don’t for a minute think they haven’t failed along the way. So don’t be scared, ask for help, and find your tribe to support you along the way"