THE MAGDI YACOUB INSTITUTE

What THE MAGDI YACOUB INSTITUTE does

The Magdi Yacoub Institute is a UK-registered charity (no. 1082750) and company limited by guarantee (no. 04061607) founded in 1980 (originally as the Harefield Transplant Trust, later renamed Harefield Research Foundation in 2000) that conducts basic and translational cardiovascular research at the Heart Science Centre on the Harefield Hospital campus in Middlesex. It operates five specialised research programmes — Heart Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering (including a tissue-engineered living heart valve prototype currently in pre-clinical testing), Cardiac Biophysics and Systems Biology, Genomics and Transcriptomics of Cardiomyopathies, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Myocardial Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology — overseen by Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub and a team of more than 60 scientists and students across the UK and Egypt.

The institute serves three principal constituencies: cardiovascular patients (indirectly via research outputs and via affiliated treatment centres such as the Aswan Heart Centre in Egypt), cardiovascular researchers and clinicians (directly through its training programmes, the Harefield Heart Biobank, and the diamond open-access journal Global Cardiology Science and Practice, ISSN 23057823, which has published 443 articles cited 4,326 times and is indexed in PubMed Central), and charitable donors who fund the work via website donations, monthly recurring giving (£5/£10/£20 tiers with Gift Aid), and high-profile events including concerts at the Royal College of Music and Royal Albert Hall.

The institute generates no commercial product revenue; its operating model is donation-driven and event-driven, with a single Royal College of Music event raising almost £200,000 in May 2024. It maintains strategic academic and clinical partnerships with Imperial College London's National Heart & Lung Institute, the Royal Brompton and Harefield Trust, Oxford University, the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation (Aswan Heart Centre), Chain of Hope, and the Harefield Heart Biobank, with an international footprint reaching Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, and Jamaica. The institute's intellectual assets are reinforced by a substantial award portfolio including a Knighthood (1992), Order of Merit (2014), Lister Medal (2015), ISHLT Lifetime Achievement Award (2004), Fellowship of the Royal Society (1999), Ron Haddock AHA/ASA International Impact Award (2016), and the 2024 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.

Name

THE MAGDI YACOUB INSTITUTE

Legal name

The Magdi Yacoub Institute

Website

https://magdiyacoub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Magdi Yacoub Institute is a UK-registered cardiovascular research charity founded in 1980, conducting translational research into tissue-engineered heart valves, stem cell therapies, and pulmonary hypertension at the Heart Science Centre, Harefield, and publishing the Global Cardiology Science and Practice open-access journal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiovascular Research

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiac Assist & Heart Failure Therapies (Implantables, Neuromodulation) (HLAHAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cardiac Surgery Devices (Cannulas, Clamps, Closure, Grafts) (HLAHAFAH), General Cardiology (Consultative) (HLAKABAA), Cardiovascular & Vascular Regeneration (vascular grafts, angiogenesis) (HLAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Cardiovascular research
• Heart valve tissue engineering
• Stem cell biology
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Cardiac science education

Headquarters

HQ city

Harefield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The institute relies entirely on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and events. One significant fundraising event at Royal College of Music raised almost £200,000 in May 2024. Direct online donations via website with one-off and recurring monthly options. Gift Aid scheme for UK taxpayers claims 25p per £1 donated.
2. Research Dissemination Services: Publishing the open access journal Global Cardiology Science and Practice at no cost to authors (diamond open access). All publishing costs covered by the institute, making content freely accessible to researchers globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Magdi Yacoub Institute conducts basic and translational cardiovascular research across five specialized programmes (Heart Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering, Cardiac Biophysics and Systems Biology, Genomics and Transcriptomics of Cardiomyopathies, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Myocardial Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology) and publishes the open-access Global Cardiology Science & Practice journal. The institute is developing tissue-engineered living heart valves currently in pre-clinical testing, novel left ventricular assist devices, wireless sensors, and stem cell-based myocardial regeneration therapies.

Product overview

The Magdi Yacoub Institute is a medical research organization offering cardiovascular research programs rather than commercial products. Its core offerings include five specialized research areas: Heart Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering (including living heart valve development), Cardiac Biophysics and Systems Biology, Genomics and Transcriptomics of Cardiomyopathies, Pulmonary Hypertension research, and Myocardial Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology. Additionally, the Institute publishes the Global Cardiology Science & Practice open-access journal and operates the Heart Science Centre at Harefield Hospital as its primary research facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Cardiology Science and Practice: Open access academic journal published by the institute, ISSN 23057823, founded in 2011.

Products and services

• Heart Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering Research A research programme focused on developing tissue-engineered living heart valves from stem cells that can grow and function like natural valves, addressing limitations of artificial replacement valves which require replacement as children grow and need lifetime drug regimens. Targeted at pediatric and adult heart valve disease patients.
• Cardiac Biophysics and Systems Biology Research Research programme studying the relationship between the mechanical environment of the heart and electrical activity, combining experimental and computational methods. For cardiovascular researchers and clinicians.
• Genomics and Transcriptomics of Cardiomyopathies Research Research programme studying inherited heart muscle diseases and the genes responsible, developing patient-specific prevention and treatment strategies. For cardiovascular researchers and patients with inherited cardiomyopathies.
• Pulmonary Hypertension Research Research programme understanding basic mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension to evolve new strategies for prevention and treatment. For cardiovascular researchers and pulmonary hypertension patients.
• Myocardial Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Research Research programme exploring stem cell therapies and the heart's ability to repair itself through combination therapy using ventricular assist devices and pharmacological treatment. For cardiovascular researchers and patients with heart failure requiring regeneration therapies.
• Global Cardiology Science and Practice Journal Fully open access academic journal (ISSN: 23057823) founded by the Institute in 2011 and published exclusively by it since 2016, indexed in PubMed Central and PubMed, connecting cardiologists with advances in basic science and clinical practice at no cost to authors or readers. For cardiologists, cardiovascular researchers, and clinical scientists globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 transplant operations performed at Harefield Hospital under Professor Yacoub's leadership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bambino Gesù del Cairo OnlusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2022Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation signed cooperation agreement with Bambino Gesù del Cairo Onlus to share medical expertise and assistance in medical research with the maternity and paediatric hospital at the New Administrative Capital.
• Aswan Heart CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UK and Egyptian teams work jointly on a number of collaborative projects and grants. The Aswan Heart Centre offers state-of-the-art medical services, free of charge to all patients regardless of colour, religion, or gender. The centre trains young Egyptian doctors, nurses, scientists, and technicians at highest international standards. Advancing basic science and applied research is an integral component of the program.
• National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose ties with The National Heart & Lung Institute at Imperial College London. Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub is Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the institute. Collaborations on basic and translational research spanning multiple cardiovascular research areas.
• Royal Brompton and Harefield TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose ties with The Royal Brompton and Harefield Trust. Harefield Hospital houses the Heart Science Centre where the Magdi Yacoub Institute is located. Transplant programme and research activities conducted in collaboration with the trust.
• Oxford UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe institute has close ties with Oxford University for collaborative research in cardiovascular sciences.
• Chain of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Sir Magdi Yacoub is Founder and President of Chain of Hope, a charitable organization based in London. The organization links experts together around the world to bring life-saving treatments to children in developing and war-torn countries. Professor Barbir is a member of the Chain of Hope medical board.
• Harefield Heart BiobankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe availability of human tissue from the Harefield Heart Biobank and the active transplant programme of hearts and lungs provides vital source for implementing pulmonary hypertension and cardiovascular disease studies.
• Magdi Yacoub Heart FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Yacoub is Founder and Director of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation which created the Aswan Heart Centre. The foundation is an Egyptian registered charity NGO founded in 2008. It provides free medical services and is fundraising for the Cairo Heart Center.
• National Bank of Egypt (UK) LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Bank of Egypt (UK) Ltd is a sponsor of the Night with the Legends event at Royal Albert Hall supporting the Magdi Yacoub Institute's cardiac research mission.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• CellProthera: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing stem cell therapies for heart failure. Comparable as an emerging player translating stem cell science into cardiovascular therapies, representing the commercial translational pathway the institute's myocardial regeneration research could follow.
• Carmat: French-listed company developing total artificial hearts for end-stage heart failure. Comparable as an emerging player tackling advanced heart failure with a hardware-intensive approach overlapping with the institute's LVAD and heart failure research.

Broad incumbents

• Edwards Lifesciences: Global leader in heart valve therapies and haemodynamic monitoring. Directly competes with the institute's tissue-engineered heart valve ambition as a commercial incumbent with established transcatheter and surgical valve franchises.
• Abbott Cardiovascular: Major cardiovascular device incumbent with heart valve, heart failure (LVAD), and cardiac arrhythmia franchises. Comparable as a commercial entity whose product roadmap overlaps with the institute's translational research areas.
• Medtronic Cardiovascular: Global cardiovascular device leader with strong heart valve, heart failure, and cardiac surgery portfolios. Represents the commercial translational pathway the institute's pre-clinical programmes would eventually need to engage with.

Direct peers

• Texas Heart Institute: Leading independent cardiovascular research institute based at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, performing pioneering heart surgery and translational research. Directly comparable as a non-profit cardiovascular research organisation with deep transplant and device development history.
• British Heart Foundation: UK's largest cardiovascular research charity funding cardiovascular science and education. Comparable as a UK-headquartered non-profit funding cardiovascular research with a national fundraising model, though at substantially larger scale.
• Karolinska Institutet - Heart and Vascular Theme: European academic cardiovascular research programme covering heart failure, valve disease, and transplantation. Comparable as a translational cardiovascular research organisation with strong clinical-translational pipeline.
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai - Cardiovascular Research Institute: Academic cardiovascular research institute with active programmes in heart valve disease, heart failure, and regenerative medicine. Comparable as a translational cardiovascular research organisation publishing high-impact science.
• Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute: Major cardiovascular research arm of Cleveland Clinic conducting basic, translational, and clinical research in heart disease. Comparable in scale and scope of cardiovascular science programmes, including heart valve and heart failure research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-magdi-yacoub-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/magdiyacoubinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE MAGDI YACOUB INSTITUTE