PERTHSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN Ann Gloag is to fund a specialist nurse to work with Dundee University scientists battling heart disease.

Stagecoach founder Mrs Gloag has made a £100,000 donation to help fund a nurse to work at matron level within The Institute of Cardiovascular Research (TICR) at the university.

TICR is engaged in a £1 million fund-raising scheme which will enable it to employ two full-time nurses in the institute for the next 10 years at least.

Millionaire Mrs Gloag’s donation means the institute can employ the first of these nurses.

“This is a magnificent donation from Mrs Gloag that will enable us to fill a vital post within the institute,” said Professor Jill Belch, director of TICR.

“This nurse will be working in vital areas such as prevention of heart attack, stroke and amputation, vascular disease in patients with diabetes and vascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, supporting the research we are doing here in Dundee.”

TICR brings together teams of specialists in vascular biology, cardiac disease, nutrition, epidemiology and fundamental laboratory science to enable detection and intervention of heart-related diseases at an earlier stage.

Scotland is at the top of the league in western Europe for cardiovascular disease. The scientists in the institute are trying to reduce the burden of this disease in Tayside.

Mrs Gloag said, “I am delighted to fund this nursing post for the next three years, especially in such a world-renowned institute.

“As a former nurse, I truly believe that nursing is the cornerstone of good patient care and this post will complement the great work being done by everyone at TICR.”

TICR has raised £4.5 million to date and the Centre of Excellence at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee is attracting top researchers to help fight this killer disease.

The TICR group was given a major boost earlier this year when Mrs Gloag’s brother, Perthshire businessman Brian Souter, donated £2.1 million to allow the purchase and running of an MRI scanner.

Mrs Shobna Vasishta, the fund-raising appeal chairwoman, added, “Nurses are crucial to patient comfort and care, and we very much appreciate this important addition to our team.

“We are also grateful to Mrs Gloag for her continued support of this appeal.”