Professor John Harris is Sir David Alliance Professor of Bioethics in the Faculty of Law at the University of Manchester. Through his work in medical law and bioethics he has made substantial contributions to medicine. A philosopher by education and profession his earliest published works are on questions of violence and survival - these themes led naturally into studies of biomedical ethics. The important themes of his work include ethical issues surrounding works in genetics including cloning, the impact of modern science on human reproduction, and the ethical implications of eugenics. The Academy of Medical Sciences will only flourish if we welcome into the Fellowship individuals who contribute beyond the normal boundaries of clinical and laboratory science. Professor Harris is one such individual and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the Academy.