Michael Marmot

Michael Marmot is one of the world's most respected health researchers and authors. He is best known for his groundbreaking research in which he linked social and economic inequalities to health inequalities. He wrote extensively about this subject and has become a major influence in public health worldwide.

Marmot was born in London in 1945 and attended medical school at the University of Oxford. He completed post-doctoral work in public health at the University of California, Berkeley in 1976. After his studies, he continued his research at the University College London, where he worked until 1989.

Marmot's research during this period focused on health inequalities and their connection to social and economic determinants. He was one of the first researchers to clearly identify the connection between poverty, education and health, which became a major focus of public health research.

Marmot has published numerous books, including his seminal work The Health Divide, which examines the impact of social, economic, environmental and behavioural factors on health. This was followed by his book The Status Syndrome, which further examined the effect of social status on health and well-being.

Marmot also co-authored the World Health Organisation's influential report on the social determinants of health, which was published in 2008. This was the first major international report to focus on these important issues and had a considerable impact on global public health policy.

Marmot has held numerous important roles in the field of public health, including the role of President of the British Medical Association and Chair of the Department of Population Health at University College London. He is currently Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, and is a member of the Institute of Health Equity.

Throughout his career, Marmot has been committed to fighting social inequalities and has received numerous awards and honours for his work. He has been awarded honorary degrees from the Universities of Guelph, Oxford and Glasgow and was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2000. In 2012, he was awarded the Balzan Prize for his work in population health, and he has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Association for Public Health.

In its fifty year anniversary of Michael Marmot achievements in Social Medicine, the British Medical Association pays homage to his contentious and brave research, which challenges us all to consider the ways we might work towards reducing health inequalities. It is no doubt that Marmot’s life’s work has been instrumental in inspiring countless individuals in pursuit of greater public health policy reform.

Marmot has been a major inspiration to many and has had a lasting effect on public health. His work has had a huge impact on public health policy around the world and continues to inspire new generations of researchers and activists.