Professor Richard Martin, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Bristol and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, is one of 60 exceptional biomedical and health scientists appointed to the Academy’s prestigious Fellowship, it has been announced today (Thursday 21 May 2026).
The latest cohort of Fellows have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to advancing medical science, through discovery research, translational work and the application of scientific knowledge in ways that deliver tangible benefits for patients and the wider public.
Professor Martin leads the world's largest randomised trial of prostate cancer screening (CAP trial) and is Co-Investigator on a prostate cancer treatment trial (ProtecT), recently publishing 15-yr follow-up in Journal of the American Medical Association and New England Journal of Medicine (2023-24).
Findings from the trials are underpinning current UK screening policy and National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) treatment recommendations.
Professor Martin leads a cancer prevention research programme that informed parliamentary policy reports on obesity, diet, smoking and vaping; found biomarkers being tested for use in NHS Lung Checks; and published evidence that is cited in NICE glioma treatment guidelines.
Elected National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator for his leadership and impact in the NHS, he aligns his research strategy to NHS and public health priorities. He is highly committed to building capacity in NHS clinical and public health research through doctoral and postdoctoral training programs he supports and directs.
Professor Martin said: “I am deeply honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. I am committed to ensuring my research has the highest potential for impact, whether through working with patients, the public and policy makers to translate evidence into clinical and public health practice, robustly evaluating prostate cancer screening interventions, or strengthening the training and public health infrastructure of the NHS.
“For me, being elected an Academy member is a dream come true, as it sits at precisely that intersection of science, people and policy. I hope the experience I bring across those areas will contribute meaningfully to its mission of advancing biomedical science for the benefit of society.”
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent, expert voice of biomedical and health research in the UK. The Fellows elected this year join an esteemed Fellowship of over 1,500 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy’s work to nurture scientific talent and shape research and health policy in the UK and worldwide.