Members of the COT
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Skip the menu of subheadings on this page.Full Members
Dr Stella Cochrane
Dr Cochrane is currently Science Leader for Allergy and Immunology in Unilever’s Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre and has over 20 years’ experience working in academia and industry.
Her appointment expires in May 2025.
Dr Mac Provan
Dr Provan has over 30 years’ experience in chemistry, biochemistry and toxicology with major companies (ICI, Zeneca and Syngenta) and is currently a Director of a “Safety Science Consultancy”.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Dr Natalie Thatcher
Dr Thatcher is currently works for Mondelēz International, where she provides risk assessment advice and guidance acute risk from contamination of, and safety for Mondelēz products.
Her appointment expires in May 2025.
Dr David Lovell
Dr Lovell is a Reader in Medical Statistics at St George’s Medical School, University of London.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Dr Michael Routledge
Dr Routledge is an Associate Professor of Environmental Toxicology in the School of Medicine at Leicester.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Professor Gunter Kuhnle
Professor Kuhnle is an Associate Professor in Nutrition and Health at the University of Reading.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Dr Cheryl Scudamore
Dr Scudamore is a RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Pathology (laboratory animals) working as independent consultant in experimental and toxicological pathology.
Her appointment expires in May 2025.
Professor Maged Younes
Prof Younes is has an MSc and PhD in Biochemistry and Physiological Chemistry from the University of Tübingen, and a DSc in Toxicology and Biochemical Pharmacology from the Medical University of Lübeck, both Germany.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Professor Gary Hutchison
Professor Hutchison is Dean of Applied Sciences and Professor of Toxicology at Edinburgh Napier University.
His appointment expires in May 2025.
Professor Mireille B. Toledano
Prof Toledano is the Marit Mohn Chair in Perinatal & Paediatric Environmental Epidemiology Imperial College London.
Her appointment expires in March 2027.
Professor James Coulson BSc MBBCh Dip Med Tox Dip Therapeutics MD MRCP ERT
Professor Coulson Clinical Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University.
His appointment expires in March 2027.
Professor Philippe B Wilson
Professor Wilson is a Professor of Animal Science and Bioinformatics at Nottingham Trent University, and Head of Conservation at the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST).
His appointment expires in March 2026.
Emerita Professor Shirley Price
Professor Price is currently Emerita Professor of Toxicology at the University of Surrey having held several senior posts at the University and is Visiting Professor of Toxicology at the University of Hertfordshire.
Her appointment expires in March 2027.
Dr Simon Wilkinson
Dr Wilkinson has been a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology in the School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sports Sciences at Newcastle University since November 2018, where he is Chair of the Pharmacology Curriculum at Newcastle as well as module leader on the Pharmacology degree program.
His appointment expires in May 2027.
Professor Þórhallur Ingi Halldórsson - HI
Professor Thorhallur I. Halldorsson is a professor at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Iceland.
His appointment expires in May 2027.
Dr Silvia W Gratz
Dr Silvia W. Gratz is a Senior Research Fellow at the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen.
Her appointment expires in May 2025.
Professor Peter Barlow
Peter Barlow is Chair of Immunology & Infection, and Head of the Centre for Biomedicine & Global Health within the School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University.
His appointment expires in June 2026.
Dr Steve Enoch
Dr Steve Enoch is a Reader in Computational Toxicology at Liverpool John Moores University.
His appointment expires in June 2026.
Dr Alison Yeates
Dr Yeates is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science within the School of Biomedical Sciences at Ulster University.
Her appointment expires in March 2027.
Dr Meera Cush
Dr Meera Cush is a qualified and experienced toxicologist who holds EUROTOX and UK Registered Toxicologist accreditation together with a Chartered Biologist status.
Her appointment expires in March 2027.
Mr Gordon Burton
Mr Gordon Burton was appointed to the Committee as a Public Interest Representative (Lay Member) and runs a consultancy offering strategic advice, facilitation and independent reviews in high performance sporting contexts and innovation start-ups.
His appointment expires in March 2027.
Dr Andreas Kolb
Dr Andreas Kolb is a Senior Research Fellow at the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen.
His appointment expires in March 2027.
Mr Nick Richardson
Mr Nick Richardson was appointed to the Committee as a Public Interest Representative (Lay Member) Since moving to work at Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in 2020 he has been responsible for providing assurance activities linked to the Science and Technology capabilities that reside within Dstl.
His appointment expires in March 2027.
Dr Chris Morris
Dr Morris is Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University where he has an interest in the role of specific toxins and their effects on the nervous system.
His appointment expires in March 2027.
Co-opted Members
Dr Caroline Harris
Dr Caroline Harris is a Corporate vice president, Principal scientist and the Co-Director of the Centre for Chemical Regulation and Food Safety at Exponent International Ltd. And is a Co-opted Member to the Joint SACN/COT working group on plant-based drinks. Dr Harris was co-opted after her term on the committee expired on the 1st of March 2022.
Professor Paul Haggarty
Professor Paul Haggarty, Deputy Director, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen is a Co-opted member from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Dr Phil Botham
Dr Botham was co-opted as a member to the committee's PFAS Subgroup after his term on the committee expired on the 31st March 2024. He is a Principal Science Advisor (part time), also acts as an independent consultant (part time).
Professor Matthew Wright BSc PhD
Prof Wright was co-opted as a member to the committee's PFAS Subgroup after his term on the committee expired on the 31st March 2024. He is a Professor of Toxicology, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University.
Liaison Member
Professor John O’Brien
Professor John O’Brien is the Science Council's Vice Chair Science Council | Science Council (food.gov.uk). Acting as the Science Council liaison to the Committee on Toxicity.
Associate Members
An associate member of the Science Advisory Committees (SACs) is a membership designed to allow early or mid-career researchers to become involved in the work of the FSA SACs. Creating this role allows the FSA to engage with a more diverse range of individuals, as well as encouraging interest in future SAC and FSA work.
Professor Jeanette Rotchell
Professor Jeanette Rotchell has more than 20 year’s experience in environmental toxicology and is currently at the University of Lincoln.
Dr Samantha Donnellan
Dr Donnellan is a lecturer of Biomedical Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University.
Ms Eimear O'Rourke
Eimear O’Rourke has a BSc in Human Biology from Queens University Belfast.
Dr Ben Amies-Cull
Ben Amies-Cull is a public health researcher at the University of Oxford, working across policy analysis, epidemiology and health economics.
Dr Charlotte Mills
Charlotte Mills is a Hugh Sinclair Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences within the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University of Reading.
Dr Tarek Abdelghany
Tarek Abdelghany has been recently appointed as a lecturer of Pharmacology and Physiology at the Institute of Education in Healthcare and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, the University of Aberdeen.