Head of Health and Environment, Government Office for Science

Policy Fellow Alum, Centre for Science and Policy

Mike Edbury is Head of Health and Environment in the Government Office for Science, reporting to the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir John Beddington. He is currently engaged in a diverse range of issues including the UK Life Sciences Strategy; innovation in the NHS; and the strategic response to human and animal disease threats. Additionally, he coordinates the GO-Science approach on “risk” and emerging and new technologies.

Previously, he had over 25 years experience with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or its related agencies. Commencing as a financial investigator, he subsequently led for the UK in EU negotiations on company law and corporate governance, worked on international trade issues and on policy relating to the wider UK business environment (in diverse areas such as planning, skills and the Growth Review).

Mike's Policy Fellowship will focus on health issues and technologies, such as stratified/personalised medicines, synthetic biology and nanotechnology; interdisciplinary working on health issues, such as what research on human health can learn from research on animal health; the benefits of addressing basic health behaviour lifestyle choices (exercise, diet, alcohol, smoking); and ways of communicating risk and uncertainty to patients in addressing treatment options.