Professor Sir Stephen Holgate CBE BSc MB MS MD DSc FRCP FRCP (Edin) FRCPath FMedSci MAE
Professor Sir Stephen Holgate will be awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) on Friday 3 July 2026 during the morning ceremony.
Professor Sir Stephen Holgate is a distinguished clinical scientist whose research has transformed an understanding of asthma, allergy and the health effects of air pollution, with major impact on medical science and public health policy.
He has made major contributions to the study of asthma and allergic disease, identifying novel therapeutic targets and shaping clinical guidelines for their management. He has published over 1000 peer-reviewed works and is internationally recognised as a leading authority in respiratory and immunological research.
He has held senior academic and clinical positions at the University of Southampton and Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, including Clinical Research Professor of Immunopharmacology and Honorary Consultant Physician. He has also contributed extensively to UK research and environmental policy, including as UK Research and Innovation Clean Air Champion.
He has played a leading role in advancing understanding of air pollution and health, serving on the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, founding and chairing the Department of Health Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, and contributing to World Health Organization air quality guideline work.
In 2020, he provided the medical evidence leading to air pollution being recorded as a cause of death in the case of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a landmark moment in recognising environmental determinants of health.
His work has been recognised by numerous international honours, including the King Faisal International Prize in Medicine and the J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine. He was appointed CBE in 2011 for services to clinical science and knighted in 2020 for services to medical research.