Professor Pankaj Sharma Awarded OBE in King’s Birthday Honours 2025
- Lauren Hartney
Congratulations to Professor Pankaj Sharma!
We are delighted to share the news that Professor Pankaj Sharma who has served as a medical advisor to Different Strokes for many years has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025. This honour is so well deserved and recognises his exceptional contribution to stroke research and care.
Professor Pankaj Sharma is Professor of Neurology and Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Consultant Neurologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
This prestigious recognition reflects over two decades of pioneering work focused on stroke in British South Asians – a population that is often underrepresented in research yet faces significantly high rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Professor Sharma founded the world’s largest biobank for South Asian stroke patients, BRAINS (BioRepository for DNA in Stroke), which has enabled critical research into the causes and consequences of stroke in this community. The biobank includes contributions from patients across the UK, India, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East and is expected to yield vital insights for years to come.
“It is a privilege to be recognised for the quiet but dedicated work that my group and I have been undertaking for so many years in understanding and trying to improve the health of British South Asians. BRAINS, likely the world’s largest biobank for South Asian stroke, involved recruiting patients from throughout the UK as well as India, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East. My greatest thanks go to all those patients, without whom this work would not have been possible.”
On behalf of everyone at Different Strokes, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Sharma. His remarkable dedication and contribution to the stroke community have made a lasting impact, and this honour is truly well earned.
