THE LEADING member of the groundbreaking research team who have grown part of a human heart valve from stem cells is Tayside woman Dr Patricia Taylor.

Dr Taylor, whose mother Mary lives in Carnoustie, is head of Valve Research and Tissue Engineering at the heart science centre, Harefield Hospital, London.

She and research director Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub are leading the group that made the major step towards the goal of growing a whole heart from stem cells.

“Of course, it’s a breakthrough,” said Dr Taylor, who was educated at Dundee High School, “but some of the media reports were slightly exaggerated.

“There’s a good deal of work to be done yet, but at least we’re on our way.”

When Dr Taylor left Dundee High, she took her degree in biochemistry at St Andrews University, and followed this by gaining her PhD at the department of medicine at Nottingham.

She did her post-doctorate at Bristol University, then held various posts until settling at Harefield in 1987.

“I’ve always had the human heart as my main interest, along with cells and blood circulation,” she said.

“At Harefield, under Professor Yacoub, I was involved in the heart/lung transplant programme, specifically looking at the mechanism of rejection.

“Professor Yacoub has always been interested in the valves of the heart, and that then became the main focus for the past five or six years.

“The reason why we were looking at engineering a valve is that the artificial valve doesn’t grow and doesn’t repair itself.

“To be able to grow a valve from stem cells would be of great benefit in the field of paediatrics, as the valves in the heart of a child would grow as the child itself grows older.

“Everyone’s very happy, and I know that my late father Dr J. E. Taylor, a GP in Monifieth for 30 years, would be really pleased.”

Dr Taylor’s mother Mary said yesterday, “I’m delighted with the news— Patricia has been working very hard for it.”

Dr Taylor is the youngest of three daughters. Sister Joan is an occupational therapist in Arbroath and Valda teaches children with special needs in Malvern.