Genetics expert to lead Roslin Institute

Professor John Hammond has been appointed as the next Director of the Roslin Institute and will take up the role in May 2026. He joins from The Pirbright Institute, where he is currently Director of Research.

An expert in genetics, genomics and immunology, Professor Hammond brings extensive leadership experience from one of the UK’s leading centres for animal health research. At Pirbright, he also leads the Immunogenetics Group, where his research focuses on understanding how genetic variation influences immune responses in mammals.

Professor Hammond completed a PhD in comparative immunology at the University of St Andrews before moving to Stanford University in 2003. He joined The Pirbright Institute in 2009 as a UK Research and Innovation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Institute Fellow.

He will succeed Professor Mark Stevens, who has served as Interim Director of the Roslin Institute since September 2025. Professor Stevens took on the role following the tenure of Professor Bruce Whitelaw, who led the institute from 2020 to 2025.

Welcoming the appointment, Professor Lisa Boden, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said the institute would benefit greatly from Professor Hammond’s scientific expertise and leadership.

The Roslin Institute is a world-leading research centre within the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, based at the Easter Bush Campus - one of Europe’s largest concentrations of animal science expertise.

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