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UCL staff elected to Academy of Medical Sciences
6 May 2010
Links:
acmedsci.ac.uk/" target="_self">Academy of Medical Sciences
A slew of professors from UCL have been recognised for their excellence in medical science with election to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Fellows are elected for outstanding contributions to the advancement of medical science, the innovative application of scientific knowledge, or for conspicuous service to healthcare.
This year's total is over double the number of UCL staff elected to the Academy last year - and includes four staff from UCL Neuroscience, one of the world's leading centres for neuroscience.
The new Fellows from UCL are:
- Professor Martin Birchall, Professor of Laryngology, UCL Ear Institute
- Professor Andrew Burroughs, Professor of Hepatology (UCL Medicine) and Consultant Physician, The Royal Free Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre
- Professor Anthony Costello, Director of Centre for International Health and Development at the UCL Institute of Child Health
- Professor Graham Hart, Head of Research, Department of Infection and Population Health, Division of Population Health
- Professor Steve Humphries, British Heart Foundation (BHF) Professor of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Medicine
- Professor Nick Fox, Professor of Neurology and Medical Research Council Senior Clinical Fellow, Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology
- Professor David Miller, Institute of Neurology
- Professor Geraint Rees, Wellcome Senior Clinical Fellow and Consultant Neurologist (Hon), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Professor Bill Richardson, Professor of Biology, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research
Professor Birchall, who becomes the first Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon to be elected to the Academy, said: "This means a lot, not just to myself, my research group and my collaborators who have supported me, but also to my speciality.
"Otolaryngology (ENT) has now at least one seat at the 'top table' of UK medical science. My mission is to support the growth of a cadre of academic otolaryngologists, such that I will soon be only one of many to be honoured in this way."
Professor Burroughs said: "I am very honoured as a full-time NHS-based consultant that my track record in clinical research has been considered worthy of election to the Academy."
Professor Hart, who has worked as a social scientist in health research for nearly 30 years, said: "I'm pleased that the Academy appreciates the contribution of a range of disciplinary perspectives on health.
"In sexual health and HIV some of the best work has come from researchers from very different backgrounds working together: basic scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, and social scientists. Health is multifaceted, and the Academy's recognition of this is vital to medical research in the UK."
Professor Humphries thanked his sponsor and nominators, and praised the loyalty and hard work of the cardiovascular genetics group at UCL.
He added: "The bar for election to the Academy is set higher for non-clinicians, so I am particularly pleased that the contribution of the BHF-funded research programme I have led at UCL for the last 20 years into the genetics of cardiovascular disease has been recognised by the Academy."
Professor Fox said: "I feel very honoured to be elected to the Academy. I think that the work the Academy does as an advocate for medical sciences is particularly important at this time."
Professor Miller said: "I would like to thank the Academy for this honour and in doing so acknowledge the essential collaboration of many colleagues at Institute of Neurology (IoN) and the National Hospital, and the longstanding support of the MS Society to my research."
Professor Rees described his election as a great honour and said he looked forward to contributing to the Academy's work, while Professor Richardson said: "I am delighted to have been honoured by the Academy for my dedication to the scientific endeavour and my contributions to cell biology and developmental neuroscience over more than 30 years, most of them at UCL."
Professor Sir John Tooke, Vice Provost (Health), paid tribute to the expertise of his colleagues, adding: "They join 33 other Fellows elected this year, bringing the total Fellowship to 983 distinguished medical scientists. It is a measure of the breadth of our strengths to achieve such a number, and their disciplines illustrate our commitment to the full translational spectrum."
And Professor Alan Thompson, Director of the Institute of Neurology, said: "It is also a particular pleasure and testimony to the research strength of IoN and UCL Neuroscience to see that we have been so successful this year in having four fellows elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences."
For more information about the Academy of Medical Sciences, follow the link above.
Image: Academy of Medical Sciences logo
UCL context
The Academy of Medical Sciences promotes advances in medical science and campaigns to ensure these are translated into benefits for patients. The Academy's nine hundred Fellows are the UK's leading medical scientists from hospitals, academia, industry and the public service.
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