Usher Institute

New Director for Usher Institute

Professor Andrew Morris - who has led the Usher Institute since its launch - will be stepping down in summer 2017.

Professor Andrew Morris, current Director of the Usher Institute, has been appointed the Inaugural Director of the new UK health and biomedical informatics research institute, which is to be named Health Data Research UK (HDR UK). The new institute will, for the first time in the world, incorporate on a national scale the whole breadth of data science research aimed at improving human health.

This move brings with it a change of leadership within the Usher Institute, as Professor Morris hands over the Director reigns to our very own Professor Aziz Sheikh OBE, Chair of Primary Care Research and Development.  Professor Sheikh is currently co-Head of the Centre of Medical Informatics within the Usher Institute.

Professor Dave Robertson, currently also a co-Head of the Centre for Medical Informatics has been appointed to succeed Professor Lesley Yellowlees as Head of the College of Science and Engineering.  We are delighted that Professor Cathie Sudlow will be joining the Usher Institute as the next Head of the Centre for Medical Informatics, which she will lead from the summer.

Special message from Professor Andrew Morris, Director of the Usher Institute.

After leading the Usher Institute from its inception in 2015, I shall be stepping down as Director in the summer as I take up my new post as the Inaugural Director of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), the major new national institute for medical informatics. 

I am delighted that Professor Aziz Sheikh, currently co-Head of the Centre for Medical Informatics, will succeed me as Director of the Usher Institute this summer.

As I look forward to my new role leading the new Health Data Research UK I am pleased to reflect on the impressive growth and successes of the Usher Institute over the past two years. I look forward to continuing collaboration with colleagues in our shared vision to advance patient care and improve healthcare systems.”

Professor Andrew Morris
Professors Andrew Morris and Aziz Sheikh

Related links

HDR UK on the MRC website

Director appointed for new HDR UK - news on the MRC website

Professor Aziz Sheikh - profile 

Professor Cathie Sudlow - profile 

Professor Dave Robertson - profile