Eight Oxford researchers elected Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences

The new Fellows have been selected for their outstanding contributions to advancing medical science, cutting edge research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society. Many of the new Fellows have also made a contribution to medical science through outstanding leadership, public engagement and supporting the career advancement of junior trainees.

The new Fellows are:

Professor Colin Baigent, Director, MRC Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford.

Professor Philip Bejon, Director, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, and Professor of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford.

Professor Sarah C Darby FRS, Professor of Medical Statistics, University of Oxford.

Professor Benjamin Davis FRS MAE, Professor of Chemical Biology, University of Oxford, for the development of molecular methods for direct reprogramming of complex biological molecules to elucidate and control biological function and mechanism in vitro and in vivo, beyond the limits of genetics.

Professor Helen McShane, Director, Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and Professor of Vaccinology, University of Oxford. Professor McShane leads a translational research group focussed on TB vaccine development. This spans early vaccine design and testing through to field efficacy testing in TB endemic countries. Current interests include aerosol delivery of vaccines and the development of a controlled human infection model for TB.

Professor Richard Price, Professor of Global Health and Senior Principal Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research, and Professor of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford.

Professor Alison Simmons, Professor of Gastroenterology at the Nuffield Department of Medicine and MRC Human Immunology Unit. This honour recognizes her work on innate immunity and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition where immune dysregulation within the intestine leads to debilitating symptoms and morbidity. Research by Professor Simmons and her group has provided fundamental new insights into IBD pathogenesis.

Professor Ann (Sarah) Walker, Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Oxford. Her research focusses on translating advances in genetic sequencing into microbiology services, and linking this pathogen sequence data to electronic health records for large-scale epidemiology.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: 'The Academy’s Fellowship is a unique assembly of the finest minds in biomedical and health research, from across the UK and beyond. Our Fellows are at the centre of all that we do, from supporting early career researchers via our hugely popular mentorship programme to incorporating public and patient views into health research. Their collective wisdom is a national asset to guide research and policy aimed at tackling pressing health challenges.

'It brings me great pleasure to congratulate the new Fellows, each of whom has pushed the boundaries of their individual research field. I am always delighted to see the Fellowship expand, adding fresh talent to our invaluable pool of high quality guidance, advice and expertise.'