Patrick Vallance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Vallance of Balham
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation | |
| Assumed office 5 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Andrew Griffith |
| Government Chief Scientific Adviser | |
| In office 4 April 2018 – 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Chris Whitty (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Dame Angela McLean |
| National Technology Advisor | |
| In office 2020–2023 |
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| Preceded by | Liam Maxwell |
| Succeeded by | Dave Smith |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 18 July 2024 Life Peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patrick John Thompson Vallance
17 March 1960 Essex, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Sophia Ann Dexter
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | St George's, University of London (BSc, MBBS) |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions |
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Patrick John Thompson Vallance, also known as Baron Vallance of Balham (born 17 March 1960), is a British doctor and scientist. He is a Life Peer, which means he has a special title for life and can sit in the House of Lords. Since July 2024, he has been the Minister of State for Science in the UK government.
Before this, from 2018 to 2023, he was the Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK. This role meant he gave scientific advice to the Prime Minister and the government.
From 1986 to 1995, Vallance taught at St George's Hospital Medical School. His research focused on how blood vessels work. Later, he became a professor at UCL.
From 2012 to 2018, he was in charge of research and development at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a big company that makes medicines. He also chaired the Natural History Museum's board of trustees from 2022 to 2024.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he often appeared on TV with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer. They gave updates and advice to the public. In 2022, he was made a Knight for his important work in public health.
In July 2024, after the general election, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed him as the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation.
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Early Life and Education
Patrick Vallance was born on 17 March 1960 in Essex, England. His family later moved to Cornwall. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a palaeontologist, someone who studies fossils.
He went to Woodford Green Preparatory School and Buckhurst Hill County High School. He also attended Truro School.
Vallance studied medicine at St George's, University of London, starting in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981 and a medical degree (MBBS) in 1984.
Career in Science and Medicine
Before working for the government and a big medicine company, Vallance spent many years doing medical research.
Research on Blood Vessels
From 1986 to 1995, Vallance taught at St George's Hospital Medical School. His research looked at how blood vessels work. He studied endothelial cells, which are the cells lining blood vessels.
He helped show how nitric oxide affects blood pressure. Before his work, many thought high blood pressure was only caused by blood vessels tightening. Vallance's studies showed that nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax.
In 1987, he worked with Joe Collier to study how human blood vessels relax. They found that a special lining inside blood vessels, called the endothelium, helps them relax. This relaxation is caused by nitric oxide.
Leading Medicine at UCL
From 1995 to 2002, Vallance was a Professor at UCL Medical School. He became the head of the medicine department at UCL from 2002 to 2006.
Work at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
In 2006, Vallance joined GSK, a major pharmaceutical company. He first led their drug discovery efforts. By 2012, he was in charge of all research and development (R&D) at GSK.
Under his leadership, GSK found and got approval for new medicines. These included treatments for cancer, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and HIV infection. He also supported finding new antibiotics and treatments for tropical diseases.
Advising the UK Government
In March 2018, Vallance became the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government. In this role, he led the Government Office for Science. He gave scientific advice to the Prime Minister and other government leaders.
Role During COVID-19
In March 2020, as the Chief Scientific Adviser, Vallance became a well-known face during the COVID-19 pandemic. He appeared on TV with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty to explain the science behind the virus and the government's actions.
During some early interviews, he used the term "herd immunity" while trying to explain a complex idea. He later said he regretted using that term in those moments. He clarified that he was not suggesting it as a government policy.
Later, there was a discussion about some shares he owned in GlaxoSmithKline, a company working on a COVID vaccine. The government stated that steps were taken to manage his financial interests properly. They said he had no part in decisions about buying vaccines.
In October 2020, he showed some slides during a TV briefing about a new "lockdown." The numbers on these slides were later updated. The Office for Statistics Regulation then asked for more clear information to be shared with the public.
Minister of State for Science
On 5 July 2024, Patrick Vallance was appointed the Minister of State for Science. This happened after the Labour Party won the general election.
On 17 July 2024, he was given the title of Baron Vallance of Balham. This means he became a Life Peer and can now sit in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.
Awards and Recognition
Patrick Vallance has received many important awards for his work:
- In 1995, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP).
- In 1999, he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).
- In 2017, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), which is a very high honor for scientists.
- In 2019, he was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to science.
- In 2022, he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) for his work in government science.
- In 2023, he received the Royal Medal from the Royal Society.
Personal Life
Patrick Vallance married Sophia Ann Dexter in 1986. They have three children: two sons and one daughter. Sophia Dexter used to be a general practitioner (GP), which is a family doctor.
