Promoting medical science in an age of scepticism

Eliza Manningham-Buller has been Chair of The Wellcome Trust since 2015, having served as a Governor since 2008. The Wellcome Trust is a global charity which exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. She leads a Board of Governors drawn from the worlds of science, business and public life.

In 2015, Eliza became the Co-President of Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs. She served on the Council of Imperial College from 2009 and was Chair of Council from 2011 to 2015.

She was appointed an independent, crossbench peer in the House of Lords in 2008, and has been a member of the Privileges and Conduct Committee, the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, and the Science and Technology Committee.

Previously, Eliza had a career with MI5 for more than 30 years, including a posting to the British Embassy in Washington. She served as Director General from 2002 to 2007 and before that was Deputy Director General, with responsibility for operations.

Eliza was educated at Benenden School and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She taught for three years before joining MI5 in 1974.

Eliza will discuss her experiences of how the evidence alone is rarely enough to promote medical science, and the importance of other factors including political influence, public opinion, context , behaviour, research culture and scientific leadership. She will also reflect on the implications of Brexit for British medical research.

The lecture will be followed by the Society’s Annual General Meeting, held in the John Snow Public House (at the corner of Broadwick and Lexington Streets, in Soho) to which all are warmly invited.

This is an invitation-only event open to John Snow Society members, LSHTM staff, students and alumni. Please register in advance. Please do not share event details on social media or via other channels until after the event.

Promoting medical science in an age of scepticism

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John Snow Society - Pumphandle Lecture 2019