A list of people involved in the Forum. NameResearchAffiliationFrancisca Adom-OpareIntersections of disability, gender, education, health, environment; international development policy and practice with regional focus on Ghana and West Africa, especially at the intersections of data, education, livelihoods and entrepreneurship, agriculture, health, and governance, including COVID-context researchCentre of African StudiesKatie AtkinsUnderstanding the dynamics of infectious disease through mathematical modelling and phylogenetics; focus on HIV infection immdiately post-exposure, and impacts of vaccines on transmission of drug-resistant bacteriaUsher InstituteIain AthertonNursing and data science with expertise in use of nationally representative survey, administrative and census data to answer policy relevant questions; Co-Director of SCADREdinburgh Napier University, Scottish Centre for Administrative Data ResearchTill BachmannDiagnostics innovation in the context of targeted and effective antibiotic therapy; equitable partnerships in One Health approaches to AMRInstitute for Regeneration and RepairKenny BaillieTranslational genomics in critical care medicine -using computational biology and genomics to understand the mechanisms that make people desperately sick in intensive care, with focus on viral lung infections (including influenza and SARSCoV-2), sepsis, and the impact of oxygen shortagePandemic Science Hub, The Roslin InstituteLinda BauldPrevention of non-communicable diseases and how research evidence informs policy; focus on interventions and policy to reduce use of tobacco and nictoine, and work to better understand and address health inequalities and the wider determinants of healthUsher InstituteKatie BeckmannWildlife health and the conservation of species and their ecosystems; focus on refinement of health/disease risk analysis methodology for wildlife translocation projects; health issues and disease surveillance in UK native species of conservation concernRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesLaura BellussiSocial impacts of COVID-19 in both academia and the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, with a focus on children, families, and marginalised communitiesUsher InstituteDevanjan BhattacharyaGeomatics and geo-spatial technologies, working towards intelligent geospatial analytics merging remotely sensed data, navigation technologies, informatics and GIS together - mapping micro-mobility for urban populationsSchool of Social and Political ScienceLisa BodenContingency planning for animal disease outbreaks, food security & animal & public health lawRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesDebby BogaertPathophysiology and prevention of respiratory infections and inflammation from an ecological perspective, with a focu son the earlylife microbiomeInstitute for Regeneration and RepairMark BronsvoortEpidemiology of globally important infectious diseases of livestock and humans including rabies, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine tuberculosis, blue tongue and liver fluke; using molecular tools to understand disease transmission and spread at different scales, both in the United Kingdom and in the tropics particularly sub-Saharan AfricaThe Roslin InstituteHelen BrownMixed (or multilevel) statistical models, identifying and accounting for sources of variation and correlation structures in the data.The Roslin InstituteKarl BurgessDevelopment of mass spectrometry methods for the exploration of the biochemistry of microorganisms, especially in the area of industrial biotechnology and infectious disease.School of Biological SciencesMichael CholbiDeath and dying, including suicide and assisted dying; grief and memorialisation e.g during Covid-19 pandemic; ethics, particularly respect for persons, equality, and rational agencySchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language SciencesNathan CoombsEconomic sociologist working at the intersection of political economy, science and technology studies, and social theory; utilising qualitative and historical methods to address the implications of scientised knowledge and expertise for public accountability and democracySchool of Social and Political ScienceEmma CunninghamThe ecology and behaviour of animal populations, with focus on how environmental conditions affect health, fitness and an individual's ability to deal with diseaseSchool of Biological SciencesSarah Cunningham-BurleySocial and ethical contexts of medical technologies, data science, engagement, health and disease using predominantly qualitative methodsUsher InstituteRebecca DewarClinical microiology and diagnosticsNHS LothianChris DibbenQuantitative health geography with particular interest in analysing administrative data to explain and understand patterns of poverty, deprivation and inequality and their impact on lifelong health and wellbeingScottish Centre for Administrative Data ResearchPaul DigardReplication and pathogenesis of influenza viruses - molecular and cellular biology of influenza virus replication, to inform understanding of virus pathogenesis and host range, as well as for translational studies on antiviral drug development and virus control measuresThe Roslin InstituteFiona DobbieTopic expertise in the fields of gambling and nicotine research (focus on the prevention of harm for vulnerable groups); research methods expertise in qualitative social network research; applied expertise in the design and evaluation of complex health behaviour change interventionsUsher InstituteDavid DockrellRole of macrophages in host defence against bacteria and viruses with emphasis on microbicide mechanisms and cell death paradigms in pulmonary infection and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)Institute for Regeneration and RepairAndrea Doeschl WilsonHow genetics of individuals, together with other factors affects harmful and beneficial social interactions and the spread of infectious disease in farm animals; combining field and laboratory experiments with mathematical modelling and quantitative genetics theoryThe Roslin InstituteLukas EngelmannHistory of epidemics and epidemiology; social and cultural dimensions of Plague, AIDS, Zika, AMR and Covid-19School of Social and Political ScienceJean-Benoit FalisseEmpirical consequences of the idea of repair; aftermath of reparation programmes for victims of atrocity crimes - access to basic social services—health care, education, and justice—in so-called 'fragile' environments; the livelihoods of displaced people; and the political economy of health careCentre of African StudiesAnne-Maree FarrellRelationship between politics, law and regulation in health and medicine, in particular public health and health security; law ethics and risk in use of human tissue; clinical negligence and patient safetly; harm and redressa and mental health and capacity law.Law SchoolRobin FlaigProgramme manager for UK Biobank data linkageUsher Institute, Generation ScotlandGuy FletcherWell-being, ethics and practical philosophySchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language SciencesRupsha FraserImmunology, disease progression, and the development of immunotherapeutic and prophylactic strategies; research in SARS-CoV-2 immunopathology and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to enhance existing vaccines in order to reduce/prevent breakthrough infections and viral transmission in vaccinesInstitute for Regeneration and RepairJaime Garcia-IglesiasThe interface between sexuality, health, disease (Covid-19) memory and online/offline practicesUsher InstituteElly GauntUnderstanding the genetic coding strategies of viruses that cause respiratory diseases, especially influenzaThe Roslin InstituteSteve GordonPrevention and treatment of lung infection in adults; compare lung defence against infection in Africa and the UK using lung samples, controlled human infection studies, and treatment trials; current focus is on pneumococcal infection and tuberculosisInstitute for Regeneration and RepairLiz GrantPalliative care & strengthening international health systems; planetary healthUsher InstituteAndreas GrotheyOptimization, modelling and optimization of intervention strategies (contact tracing, social distancing, vaccination roll-out) in SEIR-like models, especially under uncertainty (disease parameters, vaccination efficiency, etc.)School of MathematicsLauren Hall-LewVariationist sociolinguist with an interest in phonetics, social meaning, and language change; narratives of Covid-19School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language SciencesKathy HarrisonProgramme lead, DataLoch. DataLoch holds linked primary and secondary routine care data for the Lothian populationUsher InstituteMark HellowellHealth systems, with research and consultancy expertise in strengthening health system preparedness and response to public health emergencies at an international levelSchool of Social and Political ScienceFarah HuzairInterdisciplinary researcher with a background in both social and natural sciences. Covering innovation and regulation of life science industriesSchool of Social and Political ScienceRowland KaoEpidemiology of animal disease outbreaks; waste water surveillance, vaccine uptake analysisThe Roslin InstituteBen Kasstan-DabushExamination of health protection definitions, authority, and reconciliation of divergent approaches, with emphasis on vaccination, disease outbreaks, and child, reproductive, and sexual healthSchool of Social and Political ScienceSteven KerrHealth data science, statistics, machine learning and secure multiparty computation; vaccine effectiveness and safety; health economics; epidemiologyUsher InstituteMarkus KetolaEnvironmental policy, populism, and storytelling; a new line of research on forests and forest governance integrates policy, governance, civil society, and storytellingSchool of Social and Political ScienceAva KhamsehCausal molecular interactions in the context of cancer & population biomedicineSchool of InformaticsOliver KochClinical interventions for tuberculosis treatment travel & tropical medicineNHS LothianChase LedinPublic health and medicine. Explores biomedical innovation and disease elimination, HIV/STI prevention and sexual health, critical public health, and health promotionUsher InstituteSam LycettAnalysis and modelling of virus spread and evolution, phylodynamics, esp for influenzaThe Roslin InstituteJamie MarlandDevelopment of miniature bioelectronic interfaces for applications in synthetic biology and biomedical engineeringSchool of EngineeringMartin McHughApplication of genomic techniques to the public health surveillance of a range of viral and bacterial pathogens; clinical diagnosticsNHS LothianJill McKayVeterinary science education with a focus on interdisciplinary research methodologyRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesRuth McQuillanEvidence synthesis, long COVID, COVID-19 learning and pandemic preparedness, capacity building for global health researchUsher InstituteSusan McVieAdvanced methods in quantitative criminology, community safety, equality and wellbeing -understanding interactions between justice and health – reducing interactions with policing services by ensuring patients receive appropriate and timely access to health care servicesScottish Centre for Administrative Data ResearchChelsea MorroniImproving sexual, reproductive and maternal health and well-being in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly lower resource, high-HIV burden settings in southern AfricaInstitute for Regeneration and RepairFrancisca MutapiImmune responses to helminths (Schistosomes) within individuals and across populations primarily in AfricaSchool of Biological SciencesAdrian MuwongeFocus on digital one-health and molecular epidemiology to develop technology that enables implementation of one-health strategies in Africa; genomic analytical pipelines to support the utility clinical metagenomics in AMR research and training for developing countries such as Uganda and MalawiThe Roslin InstituteHarish NairEpidemiology of child pneumonia, including RSV, influenza, human metapneumovirus and human parainfluenza virus related child pneumonia; also interested in refugee health, gender inequities in child health, maternal health and health sector reformUsher InstituteMeghan PerryMicrobial dynamics in antimicrobial resistance; metagenomics of sewage for AMR surveillance; Covid-19 and deprivationNHS LothianMartyn PickersgillSociology of Medicine with focus on neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology and epigeneticsUsher InstituteAndrew RambautMolecular evolution of RNA viruses; development of computational tools to analyse viral outbreaks inc. SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, mpox, Zika, and influenza, by tracking genomic changes in real-timeSchool of Biological SciencesSarah ReeceEvolution of parasite transmission strategies in malaria parasites (Plasmodium)School of Biological SciencesJan SavnicUsing large datasets collected routinely by public bodies for studies to benefit public health.Scottish Centre for Administrative Data ResearchYuze ShaDigital health communication during public health crises, including NHS Covid-19 communciaion policy; socio-political consequences of current approaches to regulation of misleading health claimsUsher InstituteMatt SilkThe social dynamics, population biology and epidemiology of wildlife populations; social network analysis of disease spread/controlSchool of Biological SciencesLila SkoundridakiWork experiences of expert labour and home-based and hybrid workers (skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled); impact of Covid-19 pandemic on working in the UKEdinburgh Business SchoolRichard SloanBroad spectrum inhibition of virus replication by innate immune factors or antiviral therapeutics, with focus on HIVInstitute for Regeneration and RepairDevi SridharImproving the effectiveness of international health organizations; tracking financing to global public health and improving global health security, including pandemic responsesUsher InstituteAlice StreetMaterial politics of global health - investigating diagnostic devices in global health; history, present and futures of plastics in healthcare; hospitals in resource-limited settings; global health in fragile statesSchool of Social and Political ScienceJoyce TaitPolicy analysis, risk assessment and regulation, stakeholder theory, sustainable development, strategic management, cell therapies, regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, GM technologies, drug development, stratified medicineSchool of Social and Political ScienceAnne TempletonApplying the social identity approach to intra and intergroup processes - focus on crowd psychology, specifically using principles of social identity to improve crowd safety in emergencies and at mass eventsSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language SciencesKate TempletonMolecular diagnostics and molecular epidemiology in NHS Lothian; development of new molecular assays for diagnosis across pathologyRoyal Infirmary of EdinburghEvi TheodoratuColorectal cancer epidemiology, focusing on projects in genetic, molecular and clinical epidemiology; phenome-wide association study methodology to investigate the associations between genetic variations, biomarker levels and clinical outcomesUsher InstituteHolly TibbleData scientist and epidemiologist, working with electronic health records and real world evidence - including data extraction from electronic health records; clinical decision support tool co-design; understanding the barriers and facilitators of clinical decision support tool adoptionUsher InstituteKay TisdallChildren's rights and citizenship; disability issues affecting children; education and schooling; family law; social media and children's privacy; and methodologies to involve children and young people in research and policy-makingMoray House School of Education and SportJano van HemertProcessing data to distil information into the knowledge required to drive positive impact.Edinburgh Parallel Computing CentreAmrit VirkHealth policy and systems in low- and middle-income countries, spanning work across Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore), South Asia (India), and West Africa (Sierra Leone and Nigeria).School of Social and Political ScienceEleanor WatsonCampylobacter species and other zoonotic pathogens, applying proteomics and comparative genomics to investigate how they persist in animal reservoirs and cause disease in humansMoredun Research InstituteAndrea WeisseComputational approaches to biomedical data science, systems biology, antimicrobial resistance, disease transmission.School of InformaticsSimon WoodComputational statistics, smoothing, statistical ecology/epidemiology, pandemic riskSchool of MathematicsMark WoolhousePopulation dynamics of pathogens, especially those associated with emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, applying ecological and evolutionary approaches to combat threats to both human and animal healthUsher Institute This article was published on 2026-03-10