"5 minutes with..." Peter MacPherson (Head of Public Health)
Published: 1 May 2024
As the newly appointed head of Public Health, here is a little more information you may not know about me.....
Spend 5 minutes with public health's Peter MacPherson... (Professor of Global Public Health)
Tell us a bit about what you do in SHW 
I am Professor of Global Public Health, and since January this year, Head of the Public Health Section. My research is focused on the epidemiology of infectious diseases in lower income countries, particularly tuberculosis, HIV, and viral hepatitis. I run studies evaluating new diagnostics, randomised trials of interventions to improve treatment, and look at spatial trends in disease transmission. Together with colleagues at Public Health Scotland, I run the Communicable Disease Control module of the MPH, where we teach students the principles of health protection.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I get to work with great colleagues in Glasgow and all over the world, answering important questions about infectious diseases. I also really enjoy teaching, particularly supporting PhD students to develop their research ideas and in doing their statistical analysis (I particularly enjoy coding in R).
What are the challenges?
I moved from Malawi to Glasgow in 2023. Cycling into the Clarice Pears Building through the Glasgow rain does make me miss the tropical sunshine sometimes!
What is the best thing about working in SHW?
The Clarice Pears building is amazing - really conducive to collaborative working. I am also extremely impressed by the expertise and knowledge that all people in SHW have - everyone is so dedicated to improving health and wellbeing.
Tell us something we might not know about you
Two unusual things have happened to me:
1) An international news organisation reported that I was onboard the MH17 flight that crashed, and that I had died… There is nothing like reading news of your own demise to stimulate you to make the most out of life.
2) I once unknowingly asked the President of Latvia what she did for a living… awkward...
When or where are you happiest? 
Having lived outside Scotland for the last 20 years, it is great to be back and explore my country again. Over the Easter holiday I went with my family to Western Ross. Taking the kids (11 and 9 years old) hiking in the mountains was spectacular.
Tell us about something (or more than one thing!) you are proud of
In 2004, I was awarded the John F. Kennedy Memorial Scholarship to study my Masters in Public Health at Harvard. I got to have lunch with Ted Kennedy at Hyannisport, and met John Kerry at the White House.
Any secret – or not so secret! – ambitions?
To see Pearl Jam play live (thankfully getting the chance to do this in June!).
Do you have a favourite quote or saying, or mantra by which you try to live your life?
“Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions."
Any final words?
Always happy for people to drop past and chat about infection, R, Bayesian statistics, and graphs!
If you would like to appear in "5 minutes with...", do please get in touch (shwadmin@glasgow.ac.uk)! We aim to feature colleagues from across a wide range of roles and grades within our school, both staff and students, research/teaching and professional services.
First published: 1 May 2024
