Professor Andrew Morris has been knighted in today’s King’s Birthday Honours list (13 June 2026).

Andrew Morris
Professor Andrew Morris

The award recognises his UK-wide leadership of research and training to accelerate the trustworthy use of health data to improve the lives of patients and their families, including in dementia, cardiovascular disease and health inequalities.

The honour citation also notes his unwavering work during the COVID-19 pandemic in providing advice and enabling vital research on the novel coronavirus during a time of national crisis, serving as Chair of the Scottish Government Chief Medical Officer’s COVID-19 Advisory Group and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

On learning of the award, Andrew said: “I am truly honoured to receive this knighthood and deeply grateful for this recognition. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work alongside so many remarkable colleagues, patients, researchers, clinicians, policymakers and partners in industry across Scotland, the UK and around the world. This honour reflects their talent, generosity and commitment every bit as much as my own.

“I have long believed in the extraordinary strength of medical science in the UK, and in the importance of bringing research and patient care ever closer together. When we do that well, we can make a real and lasting difference to patients’ lives, to the public good and to the wider economy.

“I owe a great deal to the support, skill and encouragement of others, and I am sincerely thankful to everyone who has been part of that journey.”

Andrew is the inaugural Director of Health Data Research UK, the national institute for health data science. He is also Vice Principal at the University of Edinburgh and an honorary consultant physician in NHS Lothian. In April 2024, he was elected President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the leading body for biomedical and health research in the UK.

The UK is in a unique position to realise the potential of health data, thanks to the NHS and its cradle-to-grave records for a population of over 65 million people. However, with thousands of data controllers across the NHS, access to this data for researchers is often a lengthy, fragmented process. Through his leadership of Health Data Research UK, Andrew has worked to transform this state of affairs to enable research that improves people’s lives.

Andrew has an outstanding track record of clinical academic achievement. He is internationally recognised as a leader in the fields of informatics, diabetes and genetics. He has also brought an open, transparent and collaborative approach to his science, working with partners across sectors – from NHS organisations and charities to universities, industry and public and patient groups.