Appointment Imperial Professors Elected to Prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences
Six Imperial Professors are among the 54 exceptional biomedical and health scientists that the Academy of Medical Sciences has elected to its prestigious Fellowship this year. The new Fellows have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing medical science, groundbreaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider public.
Professor Deborah Ashby OBE FMedSci FRS, Dean of Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine, said: “I’m delighted to see such a diverse range of my Imperial colleagues recognised by the Academy this year. Their work exemplifies a mission shared by Imperial and the Academy: to champion and deliver medical science for the benefit of humanity.”
Professor Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “It is a privilege to welcome these 54 exceptional scientists to our Fellowship. Each new Fellow brings unique expertise and perspective to addressing the most significant health challenges facing society.
“The breadth of disciplines represented in this year’s cohort – from mental health and infectious disease to cancer biology and respiratory medicine – reflects the rich diversity of medical science today. Their election comes at a crucial time when scientific excellence and collaboration across disciplines are essential for addressing global health challenges both now and in the future. We look forward to working with them to advance biomedical research and create an environment where the best science can flourish for the benefit of people everywhere.”
The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.
Professor Helen Ward – School of Public Health
Helen Ward is a Professor of Public Health, who is also an NIHR Imperial BRC SGE Theme Co-lead, and has made major contributions to the epidemiology of infectious diseases including HIV, sexually transmitted infections and COVID-19. She has pioneered interdisciplinary and participatory methods, advocating public involvement and community engagement across health research. She combines an analytic focus on high-quality epidemiological research, drawing on insights from molecular, social and mathematical sciences, with the translation of findings into interventions. Her work has informed public health policy in the UK and globally, with a particular focus on marginalized populations. Her passion for this work was clear from her research with sex workers in the 1980s when she established the Praed Street Project (PSP), the UK’s first dedicated integrated health service for sex workers. Co-designed with sex workers, the project saw around 1800 people a year for more than 30 years and served as an international model for HIV prevention. Professor Ward has been at the forefront of research on COVID-19. She plays a pivotal role in the REACT (Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission) study, one of the largest population-based studies of COVID-19 in the world, providing critical insights into the spread of COVID-19 and its long-term health impacts and she was a high profile and respected science communicator throughout the pandemic.
Professor Ward said: “I am pleased to have been elected to the Academy and want to thank all the inspirational colleagues, patients and community partners who have shaped my career. I have been fortunate to be able to combine my interest in the science of epidemiology with my passion for equity in trying to improve public health and reduce inequalities. I look forward to working with colleagues in the Academy to take forward its strategy of working more closely with patients and the public to ensure research and care is inclusive and effective”.
Professor Chris Chiu – Department of Infectious Diseases
Chris Chiu is Professor of Infectious Diseases and an immunologist whose research focuses on pathogenesis and protective immunity in human respiratory viral infections, including RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2. These are among the most important causes of severe disease worldwide, with an urgent need for improved vaccines and treatments, which he is addressing using cutting-edge experimental medicine methods, including controlled human challenge and vaccine studies.
Professor Chiu said: “I am honoured to have been elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Respiratory viruses are a major global health threat, and there remains an urgent need to develop the next generation of vaccines and treatments through a better understanding of immunity in humans. This challenge can only be addressed by promoting innovative and collaborative research, a central aspect of the Academy’s mission that will advance public health around the world.”
Professor Cristina Lo Celso – Department of Life Sciences
Cristina Lo Celso is Professor of Stem Cell Biology and co-leads the Imperial Centre for Haematology, building bridges between academic and clinical haematological research. A former recipient of the Academy’s prestigious Foulkes Foundation medal (which recognises rising stars within biomedical research), her focus is to understand how cell extrinsic factors regulate blood stem cell function. This has led her to investigate how multiple components of the bone marrow microenvironment cooperate to support blood production and are hijacked by blood cancers. She has demonstrated how the bone marrow microenvironment is a potential and promising therapeutic target to support blood stem cell function during infection- and leukaemia-driven stress, and to hinder leukaemia growth and resistance to treatments.
Professor Lo Celso commented: “I am deeply honoured to be elected a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This recognition is a testament to the contributions of my research group and our wider network of collaborators over the years. Using microscopy as a starting point for many of our studies, we combine the expertise of biologists, mathematicians, physicists and clinicians to tackle the complex questions that will lead us to understand the principles regulating the bone marrow ecosystem. These are critical to develop better interventions spanning from gene therapy to leukaemia treatments, and ultimately to prevent haematological diseases and promote healthy ageing”.
Professor Guy Rutter – Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction
Visiting Professor at Imperial, Guy Rutter’s research focuses on diabetes mellitus, a condition which affects almost 10% of the adult population worldwide. His chief interest is in the signalling pathways through which glucose and incretin receptor agonists – now used extensively to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity – control insulin secretion from the pancreatic β cell. These cells are largely destroyed in Type 1 and are dysfunctional in Type 2 diabetes. To understand these processes, he uses knowledge flowing from genome-wide and other genetic studies, combining this with state-of-the-art technologies ranging from the use of stem cell-derived β-like cells to in vivo imaging. An important focus today is to translate these findings into benefits for patients, working with major pharmaceutical companies and others towards this goal.
Professor Rutter said: “I am delighted to be elected to the Academy and look forward to working with other Fellows towards achieving our goals in training, research and the public understanding of science.”
Professor Sejal Saglani – National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI)
Sejal Saglani is a Professor of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine and Head of the Inflammation, Repair and Development Section at the NHLI. She is also Director of Imperial’s Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health. Her research focuses on childhood respiratory conditions, with a particular emphasis on the early origins and progression of asthma in young children. A key aim of her work is to uncover why only some children who experience wheezing go on to develop asthma, and to identify the biological drivers behind these symptoms. By studying the structural changes that occur in the lungs of affected children—a rare area of research globally—Professor Saglani is working to pinpoint early indicators of lifelong lung damage and find ways to prevent it. Her team also explores how environmental triggers like allergens and pollution contribute to asthma attacks, with the goal of developing new therapies that go beyond symptom management.
Professor Saglani said: “I am truly honoured and humbled to receive this award. It is recognition of the whole team’s tremendous efforts towards improving the lives of children with asthma.”
Professor Dame Molly Stevens – Department of Materials and Department of Bioengineering at Imperial / University of Oxford
Dame Molly Stevens DBE FREng FRS is John Black Professor of Bionanoscience at the University of Oxford. She also holds part-time appointments at Imperial College London and the Karolinska Institute. Her multidisciplinary research spans diagnostics, advanced therapeutics, and regenerative medicine, influencing global healthcare innovation. A serial entrepreneur, she has founded multiple biotech companies. Her pioneering work on biomaterials and biointerfaces has led to over 450 publications. She holds leadership roles in major research hubs and has received 30+ international awards, including the 2023 Novo Nordisk Prize. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Foreign Member of the National Academy of Engineering, and an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Professor Stevens commented: “It is an honour to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This recognition reflects the dedication and creativity of my research team, who have been instrumental in driving forward our work in bionanoscience. Together, we are developing novel approaches to disease diagnostics and therapeutic delivery, always with a view to addressing global health challenges. Central to our mission is ensuring that these technological advances are not just breakthroughs in the lab, but accessible tools that can benefit communities everywhere.”