He was previously at the University of Edinburgh, where he was Head of the BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Dean of Research for the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, and an architect of the sector-leading Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track scheme. A clinical Endocrinologist, his research on steroid hormones in cardiovascular disease, supported principally by BHF and Wellcome Trust has led to >250 original research papers (h-index >100) and a new drug which has reached clinical trials in patients with dementia. He has also edited three editions of the iconic textbook Davidson’s Principles & Practice of Medicine and supervised >40 PhD students.

Brian is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a former Chair of the Wellcome Trust Clinical Interview Committee, BHF Project Grants Committee, and MRC Population & Systems Medicine Board and was a member of the Clinical Medicine sub-panel for REF2021. Amongst a variety of national and international roles he is currently a BHF Trustee and Board Chair for the National Innovation Centre for Ageing.