Professor Sir John Edmunds OBE FMedSci
Biography
Professor Sir John Edmunds was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in July 2025. He is a British epidemiologist, seconded from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
John’s research interests have focussed on the control of infectious diseases, including developing and applying mathematical, statistical and economic models to help develop efficient and effective control strategies. He has worked on many different infections and control programmes, from chlamydia screening to epidemic preparedness and response.
John was appointed OBE in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to infectious disease control particularly the Ebola crisis response in West Africa. He was knighted in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to epidemiology.
John was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 2018.
FCDO Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence
The Chief Scientific Advisor and Director in FCDO provides scientific advice to the Foreign Secretary, Ministers, the Permanent Under-Secretary and Executive Committee, including on COVID-19, emergencies and science policy.
They also oversee the Research and Evidence Directorate and lead FCDO’s Research and Development investments to generate new solutions, rigorous evidence and technologies to help deliver the UK’s development and diplomacy priorities. They support the government’s Chief Scientific Advisor and Chief Medical Officer to provide scientific advice to the UK government.