James Wood

Professor James Wood

FRCVS OBE

James Wood is an infectious disease epidemiologist who studies emerging and zoonotic diseases, often at the interface between humans and animals. 

James Wood

James Wood is an infectious disease epidemiologist with a veterinary background. He is Alborada Professor of Equine and Farm Animal Medicine and Head of University of Cambridge Vet School. He co-chairs the Cambridge Infectious Diseases Interdisciplinary Research Centre and conducts multidisciplinary research on infectious diseases.

His research interests combine mathematical modelling and genomic approaches in multidisciplinary, One Health frameworks, including social sciences. He has particular interests in the epidemiological dynamics of different infections of humans and other animals, including bovine tuberculosis, influenza, emergent filovirus, lyssavirus and henipavirus infections in sub-Saharan Africa and rabies. His studies of emergent diseases include antimicrobial resistance at the human animal interface. He has published ~250 papers in international peer-reviewed journals.

In addition to his research interests, he is also involved in the Cambridge-Africa programme, which focuses on building links between Cambridge and African Institutions and which aims to strengthen Africa's own capacity for sustainable research. He is also co-investigator on the Wellcome Trust Cambridge Centre for Global Health Research and a member of UK Government Department Defra TB Eradication Advisory Group (TBEAG) and of Defra’s Science Advisory Committee.

Professor Wood was awarded an OBE for services to Veterinary Science in June 2021

Recognitions & achievements

  • Co-Chair, Cambridge Infectious Diseases IRC
  • Director, Veterinary Schools Council
  • Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, ZSL
  • Diplomat of the European College of Veterinary Public Health
  • Member, Defra Science Advisory Council
  • Member, Fleming Fund Interim Technical Advisory Group
  • Member, Defra Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Advisory Committee
  • Science Advisory Board Member, Animal & Plant Health Agency, UK
  • Science Advisory Board Member, Roslin Institute, UK
  • Member of Council, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
  • British Equine Veterinary Association, Publications Officer
  • Chair, Equine Veterinary Journal Ltd

James' current research includes studies of bat, swine and human infection with zoonotic viruses in Ghana (with Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research, University of Ghana and Institute of Zoology, ZSL, H2020 funded), bovine tuberculosis control in India and Ethiopia, especially considering vaccination (with Penn State and others, WMGF funded), coronaviruses (UK-ICN network grant funded through BBSRC) and on avian influenza biosecurity (with RVC, APHA and others, BBSRC and Defra funded). Outputs can be found in google scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2S7qMccAAAAJ&hl=en)