Professor recognised for dedication to public health

A public health expert recognised by the Queen says his honour is a reflection of just how highly the work of Swansea University’s SAIL Databank is regarded.

Professor Ronan Lyons was appointed OBE for his services to Research, Innovation and Public Health.  

A Clinical Professor of Public Health at Swansea University Medical School and one of the two Directors at Population Data Science, his research focuses on the secondary use of health information to support the targeting and evaluation of health ad non-health service interventions to improve prevention, care and rehabilitation.

Since the pandemic’s start, Professor Lyons and the team have used insights from the rich health data in SAIL Databank to support governments – providing intelligence to the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group, subsequently feeding into the UK’s SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies). Their work has also supported the NHS, and vulnerable communities to combat COVID-19 crisis, so that they can protect and save lives now in the UK and globally.

As Co-Principal Investigator and Co-Director of the Secure Anonymised Information

Linkage (SAIL) Databank (funded by Health and Care Research Wales), he said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive this award.

“It undoubtedly reflects the widespread appreciation of the contribution to society of the research we have conducted using the SAIL Databank. It is great recognition of our wonderful team science approach and national and international collaborations.”

A public health physician and epidemiologist with more than 30 years’ experience of in clinical medicine, public health and health informatics in Ireland and the UK, Professor Lyons’ abiding interest in preventing, treating, and rehabilitating injuries was forged working in emergency departments.

He is site director for Wales and Northern Ireland, Research Director and National Lead for Improving Public Health with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), a £50+ million investment by UK research funders led by the Medical Research Council.

Professor Lyons is also Associate Director of the Administrative Data Research Centre Wales (Economic Social Research Council), Deputy Director of the National Centre for Population Health & Wellbeing Research, Associate Director of the Medical Research Council’s Dementias Platform UK (DPUK) Data Portal and Co-Director of advanced data solutions technology, SeRP (the Secure eResearch Platform). His current grant portfolio exceeds £45 million.

Other senior roles include Adjunct Professor at Monash University, Australia; Honorary Consultant with Public Health Wales NHS Trust; and Chair of the International Collaborative Effort on Injury Statistics and Methods (US CDC).