Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Mark Woolhouse

Mark Edward John Woolhouse is professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the Usher Institute in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
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Mark Woolhouse
OBE FRSE FMedSci
Born1959 (age 66–67)
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Alma mater
SpouseFrancisca Mutapi1
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Edinburgh

Mark Edward John Woolhouse (born 1959) is professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the Usher Institute in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Early life and education

Mark Woolhouse was born in 1959 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.2 He holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from the University of Oxford (1980), a Master of Science degree in biological computation from the University of York (1981) and a doctor of philosophy degree in biology from the Queen's University at Kingston, Canada (1985).3

Career

Woolhouse is professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the Usher Institute in the University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.4567

Woolhouse is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh8 and of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2002 New Year Honours for services to the control of infectious diseases.9

COVID-19

In April 2020 Woolhouse was criticised after it emerged he had travelled to a second home10 on the Island of Lismore hours before lockdown rules were announced. Despite public health advice for those not normally resident on islands to return home, Woolhouse angered residents and remained there for a number of months.11

On 19 September 2020, when the UK faced an introduction of "COVID marshals" and an increase in the number of reported cases of COVID-19 that some like Chris Whitty had termed a "second wave",12 Woolhouse instead favoured a Swedish-style model and "learn to live with COVID."13

Personal life

He is married to Francisca Mutapi, a professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity. They have one daughter.1

Selected publications

References

References

  1. Man cleared in ‘go home’ race row on Lismore, The Oban Times
  2. Mark E J Woolhouse England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008. Family Search. Retrieved 24 March 2020. (subscription required)
  3. Organization identifiers: RINGGOLD: 4257, Queen's University: Kingston, ON, CA; ISNI 0000000419368331 OFR: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003321
  4. "Mark Woolhouse". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  5. "Mark Woolhouse | Veterinary Vaccinology Network". www.vetvaccnet.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  6. "Professor Mark Woolhouse | The Academy of Medical Sciences". acmedsci.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  7. Friend, Milton (2006). Disease Emergence and Resurgence: The Wildlife-human Connection. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. p. 7. ISBN 9781411306646.
  8. "Professor Mark Woolhouse". Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  9. "Page 13 – Supplement 56430". The London Gazette. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  10. Blackstock, Gordon (12 April 2020). "Scottish Govt coronavirus advisor slammed for moving to island holiday home". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  11. Horne, Marc (13 April 2020). "Holiday homeowners flout ban on travel to islands". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  12. "UK Covid-19 cases and deaths: how the UK is coping with a second wave". Telegraph Media Group Limited. 19 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  13. Woolhouse, Mark (19 September 2020). "Lockdown failed. We must follow the Swedish model and learn to live with Covid". Telegraph Media Group Limited.