Dr Perera graduated from Cambridge University in 1995 and completed basic medical training at Addenbrooke's and Papworth Hospitals in Cambridge . Since 1999, has trained in Cardiology at St Thomas ' Hospital in London .

He has been involved in interventional cardiology research since October 2001, funded by a fellowship from the Guy's and St Thomas ' Charitable Foundation. He has been carrying out clinical research on the physiology, plasticity and prognostic impact of coronary collateral vessels in patients with coronary artery disease, and is also investigating the association between circulating stem cells, ischaemia and coronary collaterals. He is currently involved in designing a protocol and setting up a multi-centre randomised trial of elective intra-aortic balloon pump insertion during high-risk coronary angioplasty. He is in the process of submitting a thesis to London University for a MD degree.

Contact: divaka.perera@angioplasty.org.uk