NatCen Names Leader for New Health Research Centre

UK social research provider NatCen has launched a Centre for Health Research, and appointed Laura Johnson to lead it.

NatCen is Britain's largest independent social research organisation, and carries out research into all areas of social policy, including health, biomedical, crime, education, employment, travel, social attitudes and families. Its new centre will bring together the organisation's biomedical survey and health and social care policy teams, using diverse methods to drive research exploration and functioning as a platform for health and social science research.

The centre will build on NatCen's long track record conducting research that informs government policy and advances understanding of the nation's health, which includes work collecting and analysing data for studies such as the Health Survey for England, Scottish Health Survey, and National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Johnson (pictured) joins from the University of Bristol where she was Associate Professor in Public Health Nutrition. Her previous research focused on the role of dietary and eating patterns in the prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

In her new role, Johnson brings expertise leading the innovation of passive dietary assessment methods, including wearable devices and biomarkers, alongside experience investigating the range of biological, social and psychological factors that influence food intake and appetite control. Commenting on the appointment, CEO Guy Goodwin said: 'NatCen has a long tradition of leading innovation in health-related research, and our experienced researchers, nurses and biomedical interviewers deliver some of the most complex and high-profile biomedical surveys in the country. Laura brings considerable leadership strength as well as expertise in the field and I'm delighted she will be heading our new Centre for Health Research.'

Web site: www.natcen.ac.uk .