Neil Ferguson

Neil Ferguson is a British epidemiologist and mathematical biologist, who specializes in the patterns of spread of infectious disease in humans and animals. He is the director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, and is also a professor at Imperial College London.

Early Life and Education

Neil Ferguson was born in 1968. He attended Oriel College, Oxford, where he studied Physics. He later completed his PhD in Theoretical Physics at Linacre College, Oxford.

Career

Ferguson's research primarily focuses on the use of mathematical modelling to understand the spread of infectious diseases. He has worked on a wide range of health threats, including Ebola, Zika, Influenza, MERS, SARS, and COVID-19. His work has been instrumental in shaping responses to these diseases, both in the UK and globally.

In 2001, Ferguson's modelling contributed to the decision to cull more than six million British cattle during the Foot-and-Mouth outbreak, in order to halt the disease. More recently, his models have played a key role in informing government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Controversies

Ferguson has faced criticism for the accuracy of his models and for his personal conduct. In 2020, he resigned from the UK government's SAGE after it was revealed he had broken lockdown rules.

Awards and Honours

Ferguson was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 2002. In 2019, he was awarded the Scientific Medal by the Zoological Society of London.

See Also

• Epidemiology
• Mathematical modelling of infectious diseases
• COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom

External Links

• Imperial College London Profile

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