Wolfson Fellow elected to Academy of Medical Sciences’ Fellowship

Professor Giles Yeo MBE, credit Scott Chasserot

An alumnus of Wolfson as well as a Fellow, Giles is Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology and programme leader at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit in Cambridge, with his research focused around genetics and the neuroscience of obesity.

As cited by the Academy, Giles “is one of the few scientists worldwide mapping the neural circuits that control feeding directly in the human brain, helping to transform understanding of appetite, body weight regulation and metabolic disease.” Giles joins six other Cambridge academics who were elected in this year’s cohort.

“I am deeply honoured to have been elected to the Academy,” says Giles, “which would not have been possible without the support of colleagues and students past and present.  There remains much to do to eradicate weight stigma from society, and this recognition provides a welcome boost of motivation!”

In addition to his internationally recognised research, the Academy of Medical Sciences highlighted Giles’ leadership in communicating science to the public. As a broadcaster and author, he has presented science documentaries for the BBC, published two books, is a regular contributor to news outlets, and hosts his own podcast.

And his election to the Academy Fellowship is not his first significant achievement: in 2020, Giles was awarded an MBE for services to ‘Research, Communication and Engagement’ in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Amidst all this, Giles also moonlights as a musician, performing with his band, Casa Del Funk – who most lately brought the house down at Wolfson’s 60th Birthday Party last June.

“Huge congratulations to Professor Giles Yeo on being elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Yeo’s work has shed new insights into the interplay between obesity and the immediate environment. As there are 700 million individuals struggling with the condition, his work has real and profound impact on global populations.” – Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, Wolfson President

Image credit: Scott Chasserot

What's on

Event Type (field_event_type)

Antique world map on aged parchment showing Europe, Africa, and Asia in blue and gold tones with handwritten labels and decorative figures.

The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past

09/06/2026 at 17.30

What was it like to live on the edges of ancient empires, at the boundaries of the known world?

Aerial view of a winding river with green banks and small villages cutting through a vast, arid desert landscape.

From Perception to Prediction: Modelling human (im)mobility in the Sahel region

10/06/2026 at 13.00

This talk explores whether data-driven methods can explain the relationship between climate change and large-scale pastoralist movements in the Sahel.