Outstanding biomedical and health researchers elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship

The Academy of Medical Sciences has elected 59 influential biomedical and health scientists to its respected Fellowship*, it has been announced today [Thursday 18 May 2023].

The new Fellows have been elected to the Academy in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting edge research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

Fellows are drawn from institutions across the UK and their breadth of expertise ranges from molecular imaging to biostatistics to public health policy. They join a prestigious Fellowship of 1,400 esteemed researchers who are central to the Academy’s work. This includes providing career support to the next generation of researchers and contributing to the Academy’s influential policy work to improve health in the UK and globally.

Professor Dame Anne Johnson PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said:

“These new Fellows are pioneering biomedical research and driving life-saving improvements in healthcare, from understanding the spread of infectious diseases to developing mental health interventions. It’s a pleasure to recognise and celebrate their exceptional talent by welcoming them to the Fellowship.

“This year, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. The Fellowship is our greatest asset, and their broad expertise and dynamic ability has shaped the Academy to become the influential, expert voice of health. As we look to the future, the collective wisdom our new Fellows bring will be pivotal in achieving our mission to create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.”

Many of this year’s new Fellows are tackling the most significant health challenges society faces, including global health security, climate change, health inequalities and mental health. New Fellow Professor Linda Bauld OBE FMedSci has guided policies with her behavioural studies, including the life-saving smoking ban and standardised tobacco packaging. Professor Jugnoo Rahi FMedSci’s population research uncovers the ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in eye health and informs clinical care and policy to reduce the impact of blindness throughout life. Professor Sarah Harper FMedSci has researched the impact that our ageing and growing population is having on farming and food security.

Professor Ulrike Schmidt FMedSci, Professor of Eating Disorders, King’s College London, who has been elected as a new Fellow, said:

"I am absolutely delighted to have been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, it is an honour.

“I work in eating and weight disorders which affect people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and genders. These disorders typically start in adolescence and have the potential for seriously derailing young people’s lives. Since the pandemic, we have seen a substantial increase in eating disorders, as part of a wider ‘shadow’ pandemic of youth mental health problems.

“The Academy has shown its commitment to working with young people with lived experience of mental health issues, and its power in bringing together researchers to discuss mental health throughout the pandemic. I look forward to connecting with, and contributing to, the Academy’s distinguished community of scientists to achieve a real step change in research and action on youth mental health."

Several new Fellows are at the forefront of drug discovery and development. Biomedical engineer Professor Zhanfeng Cui FMedSci has developed a technology which enables in-vitro cells to grow as three-dimensional tissues, an innovation which improves current drug safety and efficacy testing. Professor Miratul Muqit FMedSci’s work has led to a better understanding of the cell signalling pathways in Parkinson’s disease, and a new target for the development of drugs to treat this debilitating disease. Professor Andrew Hopkins FMedSci FRS founded and leads Exscientia, a precision-medicine company that uses AI to accelerate drug discovery and development, with several drug candidates to treat cancers and other diseases now in, or entering, clinical trials.

Many of the new Fellows are translating scientific discoveries into benefits for patients. Dr Véronique Birault FMedSci has created programmes that bring scientists from academia and industry together, contributing to the progression of translational research for new leukaemia treatments and vaccines for cancers. Previous Foulkes Foundation Academy of Medical Sciences Medal winner, Professor Serena Nik-Zainal FMedSci, develops algorithms which pick up cancers that may be missed by conventional screening and work to identify cancers that respond to certain treatments.

The Academy’s 2023 new Fellows demonstrate the ‘team science’ principle, of collaborative research across multiple groups, that the Academy champions. Professor Ewen Harrison FMedSci, who uses novel data science approaches to surgery research, co-founded a network of over 5000 clinicians in more than 100 countries to improve surgical outcomes for patients. New Fellow Professor Janet Clarkson FMedSci is improving the way dentistry guidelines are implemented, such as reducing the rate of antibiotic prescribing, through the multi-disciplinary groups she leads.

Professor David Adams FMedSci, Registrar of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:

“As individuals, these new Fellows are all outstanding, but it is the collective might of their wisdom, their commitment to improving health and their dedication to the pursuit of knowledge that can really change lives.

“Working to ensure the Academy Fellowship reflects the true diversity of UK medical science is a key responsibility for me in my role as Registrar. I am thrilled to welcome our new Fellows, who join us in our mission to create a research sector where talented people from all backgrounds are supported to thrive.”

The Academy is committed to working towards full equity of opportunity for all, embedding inclusion in our organisation, work and the wider medical science sector. An Academy Fellowship that is reflective of the society we live in and that includes a broader diversity of expertise and backgrounds is key to that commitment. In this year’s cohort, the proportion of Fellows elected from minority ethnic backgrounds has increased to 18% (compared to 12% in 2020). It also includes the highest proportion of women experts ever elected to the Fellowship, at 39%. Our recently published Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy sets out the steps we will be taking to continue to diversify our Fellowship.

 

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at an event on Wednesday 12 July when we will also be celebrating our 25th Anniversary.

 

- ENDS -

This announcement was covered on 25 institutions' news sites, as well as by local media including Cambridge Independent and Aberdeen Business News

 

For more information please contact:

Gaby Richter, Media and News Officer, Academy of Medical Sciences
07944 023132, gaby.richter@acmedsci.ac.uk  

 

Notes for Editors

    1. The Academy of Medical Sciencesis the independent, expert voice of biomedical and health research in the UK. Our vision is good health for all supported by the best research and evidence. Our mission is to improve the health of people everywhere by creating an open and progressive research sector. We do this by working with patients and the public to influence policy and biomedical practice, strengthening UK biomedical and health research, supporting the next generation of researchers through funding and career development opportunities, and working with partners globally.

    www.acmedsci.ac.uk @acmedsci  Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

 

  1. This year Fellows were chosen from 353 candidates. The eight Sectional Committees met in March to consider potential Fellows for 2023 entry to the Academy. Three nominators from within the Fellowship must back each candidate. The Academy Registrar oversees the election. 126 candidates were shortlisted for peer review. The election brings the total number of Fellows to 1449.

  2. * Full list of Fellows elected in 2023

Professor Linda Bauld OBE FRSE FMedSci, Bruce and John Usher Chair in Public Health, University of Edinburgh

Dr Veronique Birault FMedSci, Director of Translation, Francis Crick Institute

Professor Dominique Bonnet FMedSci, Group Leader, Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute

Professor Marion Campbell FMedSci, Vice Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) & Professor of Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen

Professor Dame Lyn Chitty DBE FMedSci, Professor of Genetics and Foetal Medicine, University College London

Professor Olga Ciccarelli FMedSci, NIHR Research Professor of Neurology, University College London

Professor Janet Clarkson FMedSci, Professor (Clinical) & Personal Chair of Clinical Effectiveness, Dentistry, University of Dundee

Professor Charlotte Coles FMedSci, Professor of Breast Cancer Clinical Oncology, University of Cambridge

Professor Graham Cooke FMedSci, NIHR Professor, Imperial College London

Professor Zhanfeng Cui FREng FMedSci, Donald Pollock Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Oxford

Professor Mehul Dattani FMedSci, Professor of Paediatric Endocrinology, University College London

Professor Emanuele Di Angelantonio FMedSci, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Donor Health, University of Cambridge

Professor Colin Espie FMedSci, Professor of Sleep Medicine and Director of Experimental & Clinical Sleep Medicine, University of Oxford

Professor Simon Foster FMedSci, West Riding Professor of Molecular Microbiology, University of Sheffield

Professor Ruth Gilbert FMedSci, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, University College London

Professor Simon Gilbody FMedSci, Professor of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, University of York

Professor Ian Gilmore FMedSci, Senior NPL Fellow and Head of Science, National Physical Laboratory

Professor Liam Grover FMedSci, Professor of Biomaterials Science and Director of the Healthcare Technologies Institute, University of Birmingham

Professor Sarah Harper CBE FMedSci, Clore Professor of Gerontology, University of Oxford

Professor Ewen Harrison FMedSci, Professor of Surgery and Data Science, University of Edinburgh

Professor Aroon Hingorani FMedSci, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology and Honorary Consultant Physician, University College London

Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox FMedSci, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice, University of Oxford

Professor Simon Hollingsworth FMedSci, Vice President, Global Franchise Head, AstraZeneca

Professor Andrew Hopkins FRS FRSE FMedSci FLSW, CEO, Exscientia.ai

Professor Susan Hopkins CBE FMedSci, Chief Medical Advisor, UK Health Security Agency

Dr Rita Horvath FMedSci, Clinical Director of Research, University of Cambridge

Professor Henry Houlden FMedSci, Professor of Neurology and Neurogenetics, University College London

Professor Mark Jit FMedSci, Professor of Vaccine Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professor Frank Kee FMedSci, Clinical Professor of Public Health Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast

Professor Helen Lachmann FMedSci, Professor of Medicine and Honorary Consultant in Amyloidosis, University College London

Dr Trevor Lawley FMedSci, Senior Group Leader, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Chief Scientific Officer, Microbiotica

Professor Ben Lehner FRS FMedSci, Senior Group Leader, Human Genetics Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Professor Cecilia Lindgren FMedSci, Director of Oxford Big Data Institute and Senior Group Leader, University of Oxford

Professor Sally Lowell FMedSci, Personal Chair of Stem Cell Biology and Early Development, University of Edinburgh

Professor Troy Margrie FMedSci, Professor of Systems Neuroscience and Associate Director of The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London

Professor Anthony Marson FMedSci, Professor of Neurology, University of Liverpool

Professor Claudia Mauri FMedSci, Professor of Immunology, University College London

Professor Robin May FMedSci, Professor of Infectious Disease and UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor, University of Birmingham

Professor Gillian Mead FMedSci, Professor of Stroke and Elderly Care Medicine, University of Edinburgh

Professor Eric Miska FMedSci, Deputy Director, Herchel Smith Professor, University of Cambridge

Professor Miratul Muqit FRSE FMedSci, Professor of Experimental Neurology and Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Clinical Science, University of Dundee

Professor Serena Nik-Zainal FMedSci, NIHR Research Professor, University of Cambridge

Professor Sebastien Ourselin FREng FMedSci, Head of School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London

Professor Matthew Pickering FMedSci, Professor of Rheumatology, Imperial College London

Professor Jugnoo Rahi FMedSci, Professor of Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist, University College London

Professor Athimalaipet Ramanan FMedSci, Consultant Paediatric Rheumatologist, University of Bristol

Professor Kausik Ray FMedSci, Professor of Public Health, Director of the Imperial Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Imperial College London

Professor Julian Rayner FMedSci, Professor of Cell Biology, University of Cambridge

Professor Irene Roberts FMedSci, Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Haematology, University of Oxford

Professor James Rowe FMedSci, Professor of Cognitive Neurology, University of Cambridge

Professor Ley Sander FMedSci, Professor of Neurology, University College London

Professor Peter Sasieni FMedSci, Director of Cancer Prevention Trials Unit, King's College London

Professor Ulrike Schmidt FMedSci, Professor of Eating Disorders, King's College London

Professor Yang Shi FMedSci, Professor of Epigenetics, University of Oxford

Professor Matthew Snape FMedSci, Vice President, Clinical Development Paediatric and Maternal Vaccine, Moderna

Professor Stuart Taylor FMedSci, Professor of Medical Imaging, University College London

Professor Carola Vinuesa FRS FMedSci, Principal Group Leader, Francis Crick Institute

Professor Paresh Vyas FMedSci, Professor of Haematology, University of Oxford

Professor Gavin Wright FMedSci, Senior Group Leader, University of York

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