Three Imperial College London academics have been elected to the Council of the prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences.

Professor Deborah Ashby, Professor Peter Openshaw, and Professor Catherine Williamson have been elected, alongside Professor Sir John Iredale from the University of Bristol. Each will serve a three-year term on the Academy Council. They join Professor Kath Maitland, Professor of Tropical Paediatric Infectious Disease in the Department of Surgery and Cancer, who is an existing member of the Academy Council. 

The Academy of Medical Sciences is the UK's independent voice for the full spectrum of medical science. Dedicated to improving health worldwide, it champions innovation and excellence in biomedical research. 

This year, the Academy received 12 nominations for four Council positions. The appointments were announced following a record-high election turnout by Academy Fellows, with 611 Fellows (42%) casting their votes. 

The success of Imperial’s academics in the Council elections underscores Imperial’s national and international leadership in addressing the critical challenges currently being faced by medical sciences and healthcare. 

Professor Deborah Ashby OBE FMedSci 

"I look forward to supporting the organisation’s mission to help create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere." Professor Deborah Ashby Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

Professor Deborah Ashby, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, was elected to the Academy in 2012 as a Non-Clinical Fellow. A former President of the Royal Statistical Society, she received an OBE in 2009 for services to medicine. Since joining Imperial in 2008, she has held pivotal roles, including Director of the School of Public Health and Founding Co-Director of the Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, driving progress in clinical trials research and risk-benefit decision making for medicines.

Professor Ashby said: “I’m honoured to have been entrusted by Academy’s Fellows to take on this important role. I look forward to supporting the organisation’s mission to help create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.” 

Professor Peter Openshaw CBE FMedSci 

Professor Peter Openshaw, Professor of Experimental Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, and Proconsul at Imperial, was first elected to the Academy in 1999 as a Clinical Fellow. A leading immunologist, he has advanced understanding of how the immune system responds to respiratory viruses like RSV and influenza. He has spearheaded key studies, including during the 2009 influenza and SARS-CoV-2 pandemics, and leads the HIC-Vac consortium, pioneering human challenge studies to accelerate vaccine development. His work has earned him numerous honours, including a CBE in 2022. 

"There’s a lot to do in communicating science, focusing on the core mission of the AMS and supporting medical scientists." Professor Peter Openshaw Professor of Experimental Medicine

Professor Openshaw said: “I’m hugely excited to be joining Council at this time, and look forward to working closely with Deborah, Catherine, John and the other members of Council in working with the newly appointed President, Andrew Morris. There’s a lot to do in communicating science, focusing on the core mission of the AMS and supporting medical scientists.” 

Professor Catherine Williamson FMedSci 

Professor Catherine Williamson, Professor of Women’s Health in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, was elected to the Academy in 2018 as a Clinical Fellow. Her research focuses on the causes of complex medical conditions during pregnancy, and on the development of research-based interventions to improve maternal and child outcomes. Her work has shaped international guidelines and clinical trials, including identifying bile acid levels linked to preterm birth/stillbirth risks. As Director of Tommy’s National Centre for Preterm Birth Research, she leads national efforts to understand and prevent preterm birth.  

Professor Williamson said: “I am looking forward to working with an outstanding team at the Academy Council to maximise the impact of medical science on health. I am particularly interested to ensure that UK health strategy addresses inequalities in health outcomes, and that groups such as pregnant women and children are increasingly included in practice-changing research.” 

"I am particularly interested to ensure that UK health strategy addresses inequalities in health outcomes". Professor Catherine Williamson Professor of Women’s Health

The Academy has extended its gratitude to the outgoing members of Council for their contributions over the past three years including Professor Wiebke Arlt, Director of the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences at Imperial.