Three Birmingham professors awarded Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship

Three professors from the University of Birmingham have been recognised for their contributions to advancing medical sciences and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider public.

Professor Melanie Calvert, Professor Dion Morton, and Professor John Terry have all been announced to be the newest Fellows of the Academy, with a formal admission taking place at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.

The Academy aims to create an open and progressive research sector that improves health for everyone, with the elected Fellows offering a breadth of knowledge across clinical and non-clinical disciplines, such as infectious disease and stem cell biology, to veterinary medicine and dementia research.

The Fellowship is known to be a prestigious award; Fellows are selected for their outstanding research, or service to medical science through raising public appreciation or understanding, which Professors Calvert, Morton and Terry have been recognised for across their respective areas of specialty.

Professor Melanie Calvert is an NIHR Senior Investigator and Professor of Outcomes Methodology, as well as the Director of the Centre for Patient Reported Outcomes Research. Professor Calvert’s focus on patient-reported outcomes has most recently supported work with Innovate UK and the Catapult network to establish a new network for effective regulation of advanced therapies in the UK.

In response to receiving the Fellowship, she said: “It’s an honour to be elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. It is important recognition, not only of my work, but colleagues at the University of Birmingham, our international collaborators and wonderful patient partners. I look forward to providing senior leadership within the Academy and building capacity for patient centred research.”

Professor Dion Morton is Professor of Surgery and co-Director of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery at the University of Birmingham. Of late, he has joined a global team of bowel cancer research experts bringing together expertise through the CRC-STARS initiative.

Professor John Terry is an Interdisciplinary Professorial Fellow, working across Mathematics, Computer Science and Medicine. He has a long track-record in interdisciplinary research with biomedical and clinical scientists, where he is internationally recognised for systems modelling approaches in neuroscience and endocrinology, in particular applications to epilepsy and the mammalian stress response.

In response to his Fellowship award, Professor Terry said: “It’s an honour to be elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This recognition highlights the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex biomedical challenges. I’m grateful to the exceptional researchers, clinicians and people with lived experience I’ve had the privilege to work with and who share the vision of improving healthcare using quantitative approaches.”

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. 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.”