Dr Blerina Ahmetaj‑Shala is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at King's College London based at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Drug Discovery Department). Using advanced 2D and 3D co‑culture models that closely mimic the human body, she leads an interdisciplinary programme that investigates how vascular and immune cells work together to drive cardiometabolic and respiratory diseases, with the aim of identifying new ways to prevent and treat them. Her research has shown that human peripheral blood outgrowth vascular cells provide a powerful, non‑invasive model with significant potential for regenerative medicine. She holds multiple degrees (PhD, MSc, BSc, MEd) and in 2023 secured a MRC New Investigator Grant to study how statins and type 1 diabetes affect vascular cells. Her research is/ has been funded by the British Heart Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and MRC, and she has received notable awards including the Bülbring Award, Pfizer Prize, and Imperial College Value in People Award.

Dr Ahmetaj-Shala also holds a Honorary Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) role at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London where she maintains ongoing collaborations and contributes to teaching.