Congratulations to Professors Atkins and Duckworth

We are delighted that Katie Atkins and Andrew Duckworth have recently been promoted to become Professors.

Professor Katie Atkins, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Katie's research focuses on evolutionary epidemiology, using mathematical modelling and phylogenetics to answer public health problems. Her work addresses the fundamental question: "How do infection dynamics within one person determine epidemiological dynamics across a population?" 

Her HIV research employs quantitative tools to investigate the critical early stages of infection immediately following exposure. By examining viral dynamics within individuals, her team seeks to explain the surprisingly low transmission risk of HIV observed in population-level data—bridging the gap between within-host biological processes and epidemiological patterns. Katie's team applies similar approaches to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, investigating whether understanding commensal bacterial dynamics within individuals can predict national-level antibiotic resistance patterns. By collaborating with a larger clinical trial, the research examines how a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine can reduce antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal infections. In parallel, Katie is advancing HIV surveillance capabilities in the UK through phylogenetic analysis. Her team uses evolutionary relationships between viral sequences to enhance traditional epidemiological surveillance methods, providing insights into transmission networks and outbreak dynamics. This work supports the UK Health Security Agency in developing more targeted and effective HIV prevention strategies.

Katie completed her PhD at Edinburgh with Professors Mark Woolhouse and Andrew Read, and her postdoc at Yale School of Public Health before moving to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as an Assistant Professor. She moved back to Edinburgh in 2018 as a Chancellor’s Fellow and was awarded the University of Edinburgh’s Rising Star Chancellor’s Award in 2024. Her team is funded by Wellcome, the European Research Council (Starting Grant), and UKHSA.

Katie Atkins' profile | The University of Edinburgh

Katie Atkins' research and project outputs | University of Edinburgh Research Explorer

Professor Andrew Duckworth, Professor of Trauma and Orthopaedics

In addition to his role at the Usher Institute, Andrew is Honorary Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.  His undergraduate and postgraduate study was undertaken at the University of Edinburgh, with completion of his PhD in 2016 under the primary supervision of Professor Margaret McQueen.   

 Andrew’s primary research interests are in orthopaedic trauma and upper limb surgery.  His research includes multi-centre randomised clinical trials and large data studies, as well as investigating the use of patient reported outcome measures. Through local, national and international collaborations, his research aims to deliver high quality evidence on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of interventions, with a particular focus on the older adult orthopaedic trauma population.  The goal is to reduce unnecessary investigations and treatments, whilst also hoping to promote injury and disease prevention.  He has delivered and is currently leading randomised trials comparing non-operative management with surgery for a range of orthopaedic injuries and pathologies, has published data on reducing the risk of complications following surgery, and has helped develop large audit collaborations that aim to optimise the care of patients.  He is the Co-CI for the NIHR funded FOREST and MOTION trials and is a co-app and PI for several other NIHR funded clinical trials. 

Andrew is a supervisor for both MD and PhD students. He is also the undergraduate MBChB Module Lead for Trauma & Orthopaedics.  He is an editorial board member and an Associate/Speciality Editor for the Bone and Joint Journal (BJJ), Bone and Joint Open (BJR), and the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma (JOT).  Andrew is also a co-director of the Edinburgh International Trauma Symposium and is a member and contributed to the development of the Edinburgh Sports Medicine Research Network and the UKCCIIS IOC Research Centre of Excellence.

Andrew Duckworth’s profile | The University of Edinburgh 

Andrew Duckworth’s research and project outputs | University of Edinburgh Research Explorer

Honorary Professor

Alpana Mair, Centre for Population Health Sciences, has also been promoted to Honorary Professor. 

Congratulations to all our colleagues whose roles have been regraded and those who have been successful in academic promotions this year.