Prof Paul Elliott, UK DRI at Imperial, awarded CBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours

Prof Paul Elliott, Group Leader from UK DRI at Imperial, has been awarded the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the latest Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Prof Elliott is recognised for his services to scientific research in public health, including his vital role in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prof Paul Elliott joined Imperial College London in 1995 as Chair in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine. He has been Director of the UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit since 1991, Director of the MRC Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial since 2009, and Director of the NIHR Health Protection Unit in Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards at Imperial since 2020. In 2018, Prof Elliott joined the UK DRI at Imperial to lead a programme of research linking genetic, epidemiology and metabolic factors to the development of dementia.

Following the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK, Prof Elliott became the Director of the Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) programme, which is using home testing of over a hundred thousand randomly selected individuals each month to track England’s epidemic, involving more than 2 million people to date. 

Paul’s other work explores areas including the links between diet and high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; health effects associated with air and noise pollution and other sources of environmental pollutants; and potential health effects associated with mobile phone use. He recently published findings linking low-moderate intake of alcohol with structural changes in multiple organs. Prof Elliott’s research spans environmental epidemiology, genetic and molecular epidemiology and the development of large population cohort studies and biobanks. He is also an honorary consultant in public health medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

On the announcement of his award, Prof Elliott, said:

"I am absolutely delighted to have been honoured in this way. Research in Public Health depends on the work of many scientists from different disciplines working closely together and I would like to pay tribute to the many talented people I have worked with over the years.

Our aim is to make a difference to the health of the public, striving for a healthier and more equitable society. We wouldn’t be able to carry out our work without the willing engagement of many thousands of patients and the public who take part in our studies. As an example, the over 2 million people in England who have contributed to the REACT programme so far have enabled us to track the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and provide timely and accurate information to government to inform the policy response. It has been a great privilege to work on this huge endeavour, and I do believe we have made a real difference."

Dr Adrian Ivinson, UK DRI Director (COO), said:

“This is richly deserved recognition for Paul’s efforts. He is a credit to the scientific community, showing great determination and leadership during this national and international crisis.”

Article adapted from Imperial College London
Article Published: 14 June 2021