A PROFESSOR who worked at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle has received a lifetime achievement award for his work in the rare disease area of pulmonary hypertension.

Paul Corris, was recognised by the International Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute at an awards ceremony in Barcelona.

Professor Corris, who recently retired, was heavily involved in securing a national pulmonary hypertension service which was established in 2001.

It is made up of eight specialist centres across the UK..

His research has also led to higher success rates for lung transplants across the world.

Pulmonary hypertension is a life-limiting heart and lung disease which affects just 7,000 people in the country.

The lifetime achievement award is the second the 63-year-old, from Jesmond, has won in recent months.

He also picked up the British Thoracic Society medal in December, awarded annually to those who have greatly contributed to respiratory medicine.

He said: “To be recognised for a lifetime’s work in developing improving clinical care for patients and the quality of one’s research by your international peers is very special.”