Professor Calum Semple OBE has been appointed the Scottish
Government's next Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA).
He will take up the position on 5 August 2025 on an initial
three-year term.
Professor Semple is a Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory
Medicine at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust and became
Professor of Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University
of Liverpool in 2018.
He has held key advisory roles during public health emergencies,
serving as a UK Government adviser during the 2009 Swine Flu
pandemic, on the World Health Organisation Scientific Advisory
Committee during the Ebola Emergency and as a member of the
Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies during the Covid
pandemic.
The role of CSA includes:
- providing Scottish Government Ministers independent
scientific advice on issues of strategic importance
- championing Scotland's world-leading science and research
base and the role of science in the economy and society
- inspiring the next generation of scientists and encourage
diversity in the STEM (science, technology engineering and
mathematics) workforce.
Business Minister said:
“Science is the bedrock of our society and economy and at the
heart of government decision making. From health to the economy
to the environment and everything in between, it is a fundamental
part of our everyday lives.
“I am delighted to welcome Professor Semple to the role of Chief
Scientific Adviser and look forward to his valuable insight and
advice as the Scottish Government continues to work with our
world leading science sector to highlight Scotland's strengths as
a science nation and ensure it is front and centre of everything
we do.”
Professor Semple said:
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work for the people
and government of Scotland, providing evidence and scientific
advice to support our policymakers. I particularly look forward
to collaborating with Scotland's vibrant communities of
scientists and engineers in our schools, universities and
industries, who inspire and drive the innovation essential for
future economic growth. I will ensure that science and evidence
remain at the heart of how we shape a fairer, greener, and more
prosperous Scotland.
“I would like to thank my wife, friends, and colleagues at the
University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children's Hospital who
support my career and enabled this important appointment. Their
encouragement and collaboration have been vital to my journey.”
Background
Professor Semple was raised in Glasgow and Edinburgh. He
qualified in medicine from the University of Oxford after
completing a PhD in Clinical Virology at University College
London and a Bachelor's Tripos in Cell Pathology, Immunology, and
Virology at Middlesex Hospital Medical School.
His clinical academic training in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine
began in 2002 when he was awarded a Department of Health National
Clinical Scientist Fellowship at the University of Liverpool and
Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
He was appointed Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at
Alder Hey Children's Hospital in 2006 and was promoted to
Professor of Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University
of Liverpool in 2018.
He will retain these positions, albeit with reduced activity,
during his appointment to the Scottish Government.
Professor Semple has been studying severe viral outbreaks since
1989 and co-founded the International Severe Acute Respiratory
and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) in 2012. He has led
research on HIV/AIDS, Bronchiolitis, Influenza, Ebola, Mpox,
COVID-19, and Hepatitis, with a focus on disease characterisation
and clinical countermeasures. His work has been supported by the
Wellcome Trust, UK NIHR, and UKRI MRC. For his leadership of
medical research activities in Sierra Leone between 2014 and
2016, he and his team were awarded the Queen's Ebola Medal for
Service in West Africa. In 2019, he received a Commonwealth Award
for his ongoing work with Ebola Survivors.
Professor Semple has held key advisory roles during public health
emergencies, including serving as a UK Government advisor during
the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, on the WHO Scientific Advisory
Committee for the Ebola Emergency - STAC-EE (2014–2017), the New
Emerging Respiratory Viral Threats Advisory Group - NERVTAG
(2014–2023), and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies -
SAGE for COVID-19 (2020–2022).
He was appointed OBE in 2020 for his contributions to the
COVID-19 response and was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of
Public Health by distinction in 2022. His leadership is marked by
integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and clear communication.
He enjoys spending time with his family, dogs, beekeeping,
playing the pipes, and fly fishing.
