Professor John Pepper

Professor John Pepper is a consultant cardiac surgeon at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, where he treats private and NHS patients.  

He completed medical school at the University of Cambridge and Guy’s hospital and finished cardiothoracic surgery at the National Heart Hospital.  

He was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in June 2015 for his service and dedication to heart and lung surgery, in Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday honours. 

He is also the interim director of research and head of surgical research and education at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals. 

Professor Pepper has clinical expertise in several areas, which include diseases of the aortic valve and thoracic aorta, aortic dissection, and aortic stenosis.  

He is also keen on mechanical circulatory support, such as ventricular assist devices (VAD), for patients with chronic heart failure. 

He is associated with a number of groups at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, namely:  

• Chair of our VAD, ischaemic mitral valve, and aortic valve meetings.  
• Steering committee chair of our clinical trials and evaluation unit. 
• Chair of our structural heart disease care group. 
• Head of surgical research and education. 

Professor Pepper’s research interests include the following:  

• The investigation of genes, networks and pathways in diseases of the thoracic aorta. 
• The development of an external support, specific to the individual patient with Marfan syndrome. 
• The investigation of left ventricle remodelling in left ventricular assist device patients using micro- RNA technology.  

Professor John Pepper has published many papers and provides articles to many peer – reviewed academic journals.  

He is a regular lecturer on academic days at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals and is a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. 

Professor John Pepper sits on the European Journal of Cardio-thoracic surgery advisory board, which focuses on experimental and clinical advances in surgery of the heart, the great vessels, and the chest.  

He is the clinical lead for acute aortic dissection (AAD) in the North West Thames area and an examiner for the intercollegiate surgical board in Edinburgh.