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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

MOVERS AND SHAKERS RVC’s Professor Joanne Webster

awarded prestigious Fellowship of the

Academy of Medical Sciences

and indeed recognitions in my career to
date – and I could not be happier.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly
demonstrated the global impact of
zoonotic diseases, and the importance
of a One Health approach to help
mitigate against this. It is a true honour
and delight that the Academy of Medical
Sciences has clearly placed such
comparable recognition upon these
‘tropical diseases of the poor’, and how
multidisciplinary disease control and
research activities can help us together
to achieve those critical targets in terms
of the world sustainable development
goals and more, both now and in the
future. I will be forever grateful to all the
wonderful and inspirational colleagues,
group members, students and beyond
who helped get me here.”
In March this year, Professor Webster
was announced as the new Director
of the London Centre for Neglected
Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR)
rofessor Joanne Webster, Chair Demonstrating her longstanding
of Parasitic Diseases, was commitment to science and the LCNTDR is an innovative research
made a Fellow of the Academy betterment of society, alongside her centre which brings together leading
Pof Medical Sciences (FMedSci) role at the RVC, Professor Webster is global experts to aid the design,
in May for her exceptional contributions the Director of the London Centre for implementation and evaluation of
to the advancement of biomedical and Neglected Tropical Disease Research neglected tropical disease prevention,
health research. (LCNTDR) and holds a Professorial control and elimination programmes.
Chair in Infectious Diseases at Imperial The Centre undertakes cutting-edge
Her work combines fundamental College London’s Faculty of Medicine. research with the aim of tackling
research with direct disease control She is also on the Board of Directors of diseases which affect the lives of more
activities across humans and other Fauna and Flora International, sits on a than 1.7 billion of the poorest people
animals. The Academy of Medical number of World Health Organization across the world.
Sciences (AMS) is an independent (WHO) working groups and has also led
body which aims to advance large-scale disease control programmes, This appointment is further
biomedical and health research focusing on children and at-risk adults, strengthening the RVC’s links
and its translation into benefits for across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. with the LCNTDR, of which it is a
society. Fellowships are awarded founding partner. Importantly, it is
in recognition of the “excellence of Commenting on her Fellowship, expanding both organisations’ focus
their science, their contribution to Professor Webster said: “I am truly on international One Health, which
medicine and society and the range honoured and humbled to have been recognises the relationship between
of their achievements”. Nominated elected as a Fellow of the Academy of health and disease at the human,
by existing Fellows and reviewed Medical Sciences – such a prestigious animal and environment interfaces
by eight Sectional Committees, award for medical scientists, across – an increasingly important priority
the FMedSci shortlist is extensively both human clinical and veterinary in both medical and veterinary
reviewed before electing only 50 or medicine. I feel this is undoubtedly one science in which Professor
so fellows each year. of the proudest moments, achievements Webster specialises.

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