Ian Gilbert elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Professor Ian Gilbert is one of 4 University of Dundee academics to been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

The RSE is Scotland’s national academy, focused on delivering its mission of `knowledge made useful’. Fellows are elected in recognition of their impact in improving the world around them.

Ian Gilbert is Head of Chemistry in the Drug Discovery Unit, which he helped set up in the School of Life Sciences at Dundee. As a medicinal chemist, Ian’s research interests are primarily in the design and synthesis of potential drugs with a particular focus on infectious diseases which affect Low and Middle Income Countries such as malaria and visceral leishmaniasis. He is also interested in novel approaches to drug discovery and studies to understand the mode of action of biologically active compounds.

The other University of Dundee academics to be honoured are

• Professor Annie Anderson, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, in the School of Medicine
• Professor Rory McCrimmon, Dean of Medicine, Professor of Experimental Diabetes and Metabolism and Honorary Consultant
• Professor Miratul Muqit, Professor of Experimental Neurology, School of Life Sciences

Professor John Rowan, Vice-Principal (Research, Knowledge Exchange and Wider Impact), said, “The election of our four new Fellows to the RSE is recognition of the outstanding work they have done in tackling some of the major diseases which affect society around the world. Our mission is to transform lives, and Professors Anderson, Gilbert, McCrimmon and Muqit have made a great impact in doing exactly that.”

The four Dundee academics are among a new intake of 64 fellows for the RSE, joining the current roll of around 1,600, representing the full range of physical and life sciences, arts, humanities, social sciences, education, professions, industry, business and public life. Those who are nominated, and then invited to join, have undergone rigorous assessment of their achievements, professional standing and societal contribution.  Fellows, who give of their time freely, play a fundamental role in enabling the RSE to deliver its mission ‘Knowledge Made Useful’, contributing to the cultural, economic and social well-being of Scotland and the wider world.

Professor Dame Anne Glover, President of the RSE, said, “The diverse expertise and experience of our fellows, means that, as an organisation, we are well-placed to respond to the issues of the day with clear informed thinking free from commercial or political influence. Our new fellows, who we look forward to welcoming, not only hold vast knowledge but also deep experience, keen judgement, boundless enthusiasm and a passion for promoting societal development and change. By using their talents as a collective, we can often unlock or inspire new potential and unearth fresh solutions to some of the most complex issues Scotland’s society faces today.”

Read the University of Dundee press release.

Read the RSE announcement.