Professor Bryan Williams is Chair of Medicine at UCL and Consultant Physician, Senior Director and Board Member at University College London Hospitals. As Director of the NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, he leads one of Europe’s leading biomedical research centres. His election to the Academy of Medical Sciences is recognition that he is one of the UK’s leading clinical scientists. Having navigated the obstacles himself to get there, he is passionate about promoting better opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed at the highest level in science.