# Jonathan Friedland

Professor Jonathan Samuel Friedland FRCP FRCPE FRCPI FMedSci is a British physician and medical researcher. He serves as Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Professor of Infectious Diseases at City St George's, University of London.

## Early life and education

Jonathan Friedland is the son of Albert and Rosalind Friedland. He was educated at St Paul's School in London before studying medicine at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge, and King's College Hospital. He completed his junior medical training at the Royal Brompton Hospital, the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Friedland later undertook a Clinical Research Fellowship funded by the Medical Research Council at St George's, University of London.

## Career

Academic Roles
Friedland was appointed Senior Lecturer at The Royal Postgraduate Medical School and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Disease at the Hammersmith Hospital. In 2004, he became Professor of Infectious Diseases and Head of Infectious Diseases and Immunity at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, later Imperial College London. He served as Director (formerly Dean) of the Hammersmith campus, Imperial College London, from 2010. Friedland maintained an active clinical practice as Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare (formerly Hammersmith Hospitals) NHS Trust, from 1994 to 2018, and served as Chief of Clinical Service from 2004 to 2013.
In 2018, Friedland joined St George's, University of London as Deputy Principal (Research and Enterprise) and Professor of Infectious Diseases. Following the merger of City and St George’s, University of London, he became Deputy Vice-President (Research & Innovation).
Regulatory and Advisory Roles
Friedland has held numerous regulatory and advisory positions. He is a non-executive board member of the UK Health Security Agency (2022–), where he chairs the Science & Research Committee and sits on the Audit & Risk Committee."Our Governance". UK Government. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
He chaired the MHRA Expert Working Group on COVID-19 Therapeutics from 2020 to 2023"COVID-19 Therapeutics Expert Working Group". UK Government. Retrieved 23 April 2021. and served as Vice-Chair of the Commission on Human Medicines (2014–22). Friedland also chaired the MHRA Expert Advisory Group on Infection from 2015 to 2022."Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) Commissioners". UK Government. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Surveillance Methodologies Expert Working Group."Membership and minutes for the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and its expert advisory groups (EAGs)". UK Government. Retrieved 23 April 2021. He previously served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (2005–13)"NATIONAL EXPERT PANEL ON NEW AND EMERGING INFECTIONS" (PDF). UK Government. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) and the Chief Medical Officer's National Expert Panel on New and Emerging Infections (2007–12)."JOINT COMMITTEE ON VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION" (PDF). UK Government. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
Leadership in Professional Societies
Friedland was President of the British Infection Association from 2007 to 2009. In 2020, he was elected to the executive committee of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), initially taking up the role of Scientific Affairs Secretary."ESCMID membership". ESCMID. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021. He has held various other roles within ESCMID, including serving on the programme committee of ESCMID Global, the largest infection conference in the world. In 2024, he was appointed ESCMID Secretary General and President-elect.
Contributions to Research and Charitable Organisations
Friedland has contributed extensively to medical research and education. He was a member of the Medical Research Council Clinical Training and Career Development Panel from 2009 to 2013."Jonathan Friedland curriculum vitae" (PDF). European Medicines Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2018. Additionally, he has served on various grant-giving bodies for charitable organizations, contributing to the advancement of clinical research and training.

## Research

Friedland's research is focused on innate immune responses, and particularly the role of matrix metalloproteinases, in the immunopathology of tuberculosis and the development of host-directed therapy. He also has long-standing research interests in migrant health as well as in new TB diagnostics. Friedland has published over 250 peer reviewed papers, invited editorials and reviews as well as 3 books.

## Awards

In 2005 his Research team won the Medical Futures Innovations Award for best overall innovation. In 2005, Friedland was awarded the Royal College of Physicians Weber-Parkes Prize Medal for research in tuberculosis. He was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2008 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2010. In 2017, he was awarded an inaugural Fellowship of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

## Chess

Friedland lists chess as a pastime in an interview for The Lancet. Friedland was the Cambridge University Chess Champion, and represented Cambridge in the 97th-99th Varsity Chess Matches. He was awarded 'Best Cambridge Game' for his match in the 98th. In 2004 Friedland achieved the title of Candidate Master (CM) and won the Chess Blitz Championship Gold Medal in the 2018 Mind Sports Olympiad

## Personal life

Friedland lives in London with his wife and their 2 children.