A leading expert in dermatology from the University of Nottingham has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Professor Hywel Williams

Hywel Williams, Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology & Co-Director of the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology in the School of Medicine at the University; honorary consultant paediatric dermatologist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; and former Director of the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE). The award is for his services to the national Covid-19 research response and his lifelong research into skin diseases.

In his role as NIHR HTA Director and more recently as NIHR Scientific and Coordinating Centre Programmes Contracts Advisor, Professor Williams worked tirelessly to galvanise a joined-up research response to the pandemic. He was, and still is, a key advisor to a number of funding and oversight groups set up to help manage the Covid-19 research response, and to ensure that effective treatments reach NHS patients in record time.

Within dermatology, Professor Williams contributed to national guidance on shielding for patients taking immunosuppressive medications at the request of the Chief Medical Officer. He co-ordinated efforts to ensure consistent advice to people with eczema on how to handwash during the pandemic; producing a training video which has been used worldwide

Outside of the pandemic, Professor Williams is one of the most cited dermatologists in the world. He is a champion of patient and public involvement in research and for promoting an independent and evidence-based approach for people with skin problems. In 1998 he founded the Centre for Evidence-based Dermatology and in 2013 he was awarded a higher doctorate (DSc) for his international research into the causes and treatment of eczema. In 2014, he was nominated to become a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and in July 2017, he was awarded the Sir Archibald Gray medal by the British Association of Dermatologists. The Medal is the highest accolade for outstanding services to British dermatology.

Professor Williams said on his OBE: “Well, this came as a bit of a shock, but it feels good to be appreciated. I owe so much to the wonderful people that I work with at the NIHR, the University and the Trust. At the end of the day, whether it is research about Covid-19 or dermatology, our teamwork is all about enabling people to benefit from unbiased high quality evidence to make informed choices.”

Ends

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