Dr Watson’s research programme at QUB is primarily focused on investigating the impact that cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and inflammation have on cardiovascular remodelling, cardiac fibrosis, and heart failure.

This research is very translational and spans mechanistic work (fibrosis, hypertrophy, and epigenetics) right through to biomarker discovery programmes, clinical trials, and health services research. These research activities also span into low and middle income countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, through a Global Health (gHealth) Research consortium that Dr Watson has developed.