Two Royal Free London professors who have been elected as fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences say they are delighted to have received the honour.

Professor Susan Hopkins, consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology, and Professor Helen Lachmann, a reader in medicine and honorary consultant nephrologist have been elected to the academy in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting edge research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

They will join 57 other biomedical and health scientists who are newly elected to the academy.

Fellows are drawn from institutions across the UK and their breadth of expertise ranges from molecular imaging to biostatistics to public health policy. They join a prestigious Fellowship of 1,400 esteemed researchers who are central to the academy’s work. This includes providing career support to the next generation of researchers and contributing to the academy’s influential policy work to improve health in the UK and globally.

Professor Hopkins, who is also the chief medical advisor at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “I am delighted to be elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences – the award is for many years of clinical and public health science and communication, enabled by the collaborations and work with great clinical and research teams at the Royal Free, UCL and UKHSA.”

Professor Lachmann, who is based at the Royal Free Hospital’s National Amyloidosis Centre, said: "I am honoured to be elected to the Academy. Clinical research in rare diseases relies on team work and support from both UCL and the hospital, and I have been very fortunate to receive this for many years. It has been a privilege to see research turn into real patient benefit with new treatments which have transformed lives."

Professor Dame Anne Johnson PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: “These new Fellows are pioneering biomedical research and driving life-saving improvements in healthcare, from understanding the spread of infectious diseases to developing mental health interventions. It’s a pleasure to recognise and celebrate their exceptional talent by welcoming them to the Fellowship.

“This year, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. The Fellowship is our greatest asset, and their broad expertise and dynamic ability has shaped the Academy to become the influential, expert voice of health. As we look to the future, the collective wisdom our new Fellows bring will be pivotal in achieving our mission to create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.”