Andrew Morris (physician)

Andrew Morris
Born (1964-10-07) 7 October 1964
EducationUniversity of Glasgow
Scientific career
FieldsMedical informatics, health data
Workplaces
Websitewww.hdruk.ac.uk/people/andrew-morris/

Andrew Morris CBE FRSE FMedSci is a British physician and medical informatics researcher. He is President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, inaugural Director of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), and Professor of Medicine and Vice-Principal of Data Science at the University of Edinburgh. Morris has led large UK programmes linking health records, genetics and clinical research, and chaired the Scottish Government's COVID-19 Advisory Group during the pandemic.

Early life and education

Morris was born on 7 October 1964.[1] He graduated in medicine from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and trained in hospital medicine in Scotland and England before moving into academic medicine.[2]

Career

Morris was Dean of Medicine at the University of Dundee before moving to Edinburgh in 2014 as inaugural Director of the Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics.[3] From 2012 to 2017 he was Chief Scientist at the Scottish Government Health Directorate, where he developed policy on medical bioinformatics and data linkage.[4] He became inaugural Director of HDR UK in 2017.[5] He was elected President of the Academy of Medical Sciences in April 2024, succeeding Dame Anne Johnson.[6] In 2025 he joined the board of trustees of Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).[7]

Research

Morris's research centres on health informatics, chronic disease and the use of population-scale data to improve healthcare. He was principal investigator of Generation Scotland, a cohort study of genetic and health data in tens of thousands of Scottish participants, and of the Scottish Health Informatics Programme and the Farr Institute in Scotland.[8] In 2007 he co-founded Aridhia Informatics, a healthcare analytics company.[9]

Under his direction, HDR UK has coordinated UK-wide access to linked health data for research across the NHS, universities, charities and industry.[10] Early in 2024 HDR UK reported the first research study using health records spanning the whole UK population across all four nations.[11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic Morris chaired the Scottish Government Chief Medical Officer's COVID-19 Advisory Group and was a participant in the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).[12] He later chaired the Scottish Government's Standing Committee on Pandemic Preparedness.[13]

Honours and awards

Morris was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to science in Scotland.[14] He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medical Sciences, and received the Royal Medal of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2021.[15] He was knighted in the 2026 Birthday Honours for services to medical sciences, public health and patient care.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "3 Professor Andrew Morris". UK Covid-19 Inquiry. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "3 Professor Andrew Morris". UK Covid-19 Inquiry. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Andrew Morris". Health Data Research UK. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Academy of Medical Sciences elects new President". Academy of Medical Sciences. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Andrew Morris". Health Data Research UK. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Academy of Medical Sciences elects new President". Academy of Medical Sciences. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Professor Andrew Morris". A*STAR. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Andrew Morris". UK Health Data Research Alliance. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Andrew Morris". UK Health Data Research Alliance. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Academy of Medical Sciences elects new President". Academy of Medical Sciences. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Academy of Medical Sciences elects new President". Academy of Medical Sciences. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Andrew Morris knighted in King's Birthday Honours". Health Data Research UK. 13 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Academy president knighted in King's Birthday Honours". Academy of Medical Sciences. 13 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "New Year's Honours recognition". Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Academy of Medical Sciences elects new President". Academy of Medical Sciences. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Academy president knighted in King's Birthday Honours". Academy of Medical Sciences. 13 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.