A University of Bristol academic who is the Principal Investigator for the Children of the 90s health study has been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Nic Timpson joins 53 exceptional biomedical and health scientists from UK institutions selected to the Academy for their exceptional contributions to the advancement of medical science.
The new Fellows, announced today [22 May], have been recognised for their contributions to advancing biomedical and health sciences, groundbreaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.
The expertise of Fellows elected spans a wide range of clinical and non-clinical disciplines, from infectious disease and stem cell biology to veterinary medicine and dementia research. They join an esteemed Fellowship of 1,450 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy’s work, which includes nurturing the next generation of scientists and shaping research and health policy in the UK and worldwide.
Professor Nic Timpson, Principal Investigator for Children of the 90s at the University of Bristol and Co-Director of Population Research UK (PRUK), said: “It is a real honour to be elected to the Academy and a humbling thought to be part of such a fantastic community.
“I am really looking forward to sharing the Bristol experience with new colleagues and hope to contribute to the great work done through the Academy of Medical Sciences.”
Alongside Nic’s role for Children of the 90s and PRUK, his research focuses on the application of genetics to the dissection of relationships between risk factors and complex health outcomes. A large part of his work centres on understanding body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor for many health outcomes – including cardiometabolic disease and cancer.
Over the years Nic has become involved in the strategic use of population-based studies in a coordinated manner to address population health. This was demonstrated during COVID-19, where coordinated use of cohorts really brought forward the potential of these resources for understanding the impact of the pandemic.
Previously, Nic was involved in some of the first efforts to apply genetic epidemiology to important clinical questions – for example interrogating the relationship between circulating C-reactive protein and metabolic health outcomes. At the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford , he worked on the first wave of genomewide association studies data through the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. Since then he has had roles in genetic studies for many complex traits and has helped lead consortia projects to expand the study of genetics in large general population collections. Most recently he has taken on a role as co-Director of the UKRI Population Research UK initiative – itself looking to support and build infrastructure to ensure a bright future for population-based health research.
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.
This year’s cohort reflects the Academy’s ongoing commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within its Fellowship. Among the new Fellows, 41% are women – matching last year’s intake. Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation has reached 20% as the Academy continues working on improving the diversity of its Fellowship.
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent, expert body representing the diversity of medical science in the UK. Its mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. The Academy's elected Fellows are the most influential scientists in the UK and worldwide, drawn from the NHS, academia, industry and the public service.
Further information
The full list of Academy of Medical Sciences Fellows elected in 2025:
- Professor Rickie Patani, Francis Crick Institute
- Dr Vishal Gulati, Healthtech VC
- Professor Chris Chiu, Imperial College London
- Professor Cristina Lo Celso, Imperial College London
- Professor Guy Rutter, Imperial College London
- Professor Sejal Saglani, Imperial College London
- Professor Helen Ward, Imperial College London
- Professor Benjamin Blencowe, King’s College London
- Professor Philip Newsome, King’s College London
- Professor Andrew Shennan, King’s College London
- Professor Jernej Ule, King’s College London
- Professor Moffat Nyirenda, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- Dr Jill Richardson, Merck, Sharpe & Dohme
- Professor Clare Bambra, Newcastle University
- Professor Robert Taylor, Newcastle University
- Dr Melanie Saville, PATH
- Professor Jonathan Grigg, Queen Mary University of London
- Professor Claudia Langenberg, Queen Mary University of London
- Professor Anna Gloyn, Stanford University
- Professor Anna David, University College London
- Professor Christina Pagel, University College London
- Professor Jonathan Schott, University College London
- Professor Roz Shafran, University College London
- Professor Danail Stoyanov, University College London
- Professor Gregory Towers, University College London
- Professor David Werring, University College London
- Professor Melanie Calvert, University of Birmingham
- Professor Dion Morton, University of Birmingham
- Professor John Terry, University of Birmingham
- Professor Nicholas Timpson, University of Bristol
- Professor Claire Bryant, University of Cambridge
- Professor Frank Reimann, University of Cambridge
- Professor Mina Ryten, University of Cambridge
- Professor David Horn, University of Dundee
- Professor Inke Näthke, University of Dundee
- Professor Melita Gordon, University of Edinburgh
- Professor Robert Semple, University of Edinburgh
- Professor Caroline Wright, University of Exeter
- Professor Kathryn Abel, University of Manchester
- Professor Anthony Day, University of Manchester
- Professor Matt Sutton, University of Manchester
- Professor Sube Banerjee, University of Nottingham
- Professor Charalambos Antoniades, University of Oxford
- Professor Simon Draper, University of Oxford
- Professor Matt Higgins, University of Oxford
- Professor Jaime Miranda, University of Oxford
- Professor Dame Molly Stevens, University of Oxford
- Professor Naomi Wray, University of Oxford
- Professor James Catto, University of Sheffield
- Professor Deborah Dunn-Walters, University of Surrey
- Professor Bernadine Idowu, University of West London
- Professor David Kent, University of York
- Professor Amar Rangan, University of York
- Professor Sam Behjati, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
About the Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent, expert voice of biomedical and health research in the UK. Our Fellowship comprises the most influential scientists in the UK and worldwide, drawn from the NHS, academia, industry, and the public service. 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.
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About Children of the 90s
Based at the University of Bristol, Children of the 90s, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is a long-term health research project that enrolled more than 14,500 pregnant women in 1991 and 1992. It has been following the health and development of the parents, their children and now their grandchildren in detail ever since. It receives core funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol.
About Population Research UK
Population Research UK (PRUK) is an initiative dedicated to unlocking the potential of the UK’s longitudinal population studies (LPS) across social, economic, and biomedical research.
