London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Professor Mark Jit from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences this year.

Professor Jit, a professor of vaccine epidemiology and head of the department of infectious disease epidemiology, is one of 59 influential biomedical and health scientists who have been awarded the prestigious fellowship.

Fellows were chosen from 353 candidates from UK institutions, with their research expertise spanning from molecular imaging to biostatistics and public health policy.  

They are being recognised for their contributions to advancing biomedical and health science, cutting-edge research and translating developments into benefits for society.

Professor Jit said: “I'm honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. The Academy brings together scientists who are working on some of the greatest health challenges facing our world. The last few years of the COVID-19 pandemic have been especially difficult for us all, but scientists have played a vital role our struggle against the virus. I'm excited to be part of this incredible community of Fellows and help us recover from the pandemic and build a better world.”

Professor Jit is a leading academic in the field of vaccine epidemiology with his research focusing predominantly on understanding the epidemiological and economic impact of vaccines and other methods of infectious disease control in order to inform decision-making in public health. 

He is a co-Director of the Global Health Economics Centre at LSHTM, and is also affiliated with the Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases (CMMID) and the Vaccine Centre. He also holds affiliations at schools of public health at the University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore.

Professor Jit will be formally admitted to the Academy on Wednesday 12^th July at an event that will also be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the organisation. He will join a network of 1,400 Fellows who play a central role in the Academy’s work.

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.”

In 2021, Professor Beate Kampman was another LSHTM researcher who was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences with Professors Matthew Burton and Mike Blackman also being awarded the title last year. 

Further information on this year’s fellowships can be found on the Academy of Medical Sciences website.