Expert named in TIME’s top 100 Leaders in Health Published on: 11 February 2026 Professor Bobby McFarland has been named in the 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health. Professor McFarland, the Action Medical Research Professor of Neuromuscular Disease at Â鶹´«Ã½, is also Director of the NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders (Â鶹´«Ã½ Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust). He leads a team of clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals dedicated to the diagnosis and management of mitochondrial disease. The 2026 TIME100 Health List spotlights the 100 most influential leaders this year who have pushed new ideas to build healthier populations around the world. They have listed for redefining reproduction. Professor McFarland has made significant contributions to mitochondrial research with over 220 peer-reviewed publications, many in high impact journals such as Lancet and NEJM. He recently published a paper on the birth of 8 babies following a pioneering IVF technique reducing the risk of mitochondrial diseases. He has been at the forefront of the introduction of mitochondrial donation, a pioneering technique to prevent transmission of mitochondrial disease, to the UK and leads the neurodevelopmental outcome study to assess the safety and efficacy of this technique. He has also championed public and policy engagement to improve public understanding of decision-making in life-limiting diseases affecting children, including the introduction of mitochondrial donation as a reproductive option Professor Quentin Anstee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Medical Sciences said: “The work of the team in Â鶹´«Ã½ is transforming the lives of families affected by mitochondrial disease. Professor McFarland’s role in bringing pioneering University research together with NHS services to make that transformation possible is rightly recognised by this award. Having fostered this research within the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Â鶹´«Ã½ for over a decade, we are proud to see how it is improving the health and futures of families.”The close association of Professor McFarland’s research and clinical work pays dividends in driving recruitment to the extremely successful national mitochondrial disease patient study which now has more than 2,200 participants. This leads to the rapid translation of research breakthroughs into clinical practice, directly benefiting patients. The full list appear in the 23rd February issue and . Latest News Local knowledge can improve early warnings of glacial lake floods Local knowledge, improved evacuation preparedness and resilient mobile phone-based communication channels can enhance Early Warning Systems to reduce loss of life during glacial lake outburst floods. published on: 3 August 2026 Funding boost moves landmark cancer research centre a step closer A £1.25 million grant from the Wolfson Foundation to Â鶹´«Ã½ has brought the Sir Bobby Robson Institute a significant step closer, giving a major boost to its fundraising campaign. published on: 3 August 2026 Statement on potential unauthorised data access Information about a potential unauthorised data access. published on: 30 July 2026 Facts and figures
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