Ms Jo Winterbottom
- Senior Research Fellow (Public Health)
Biography
Jo Winterbottom is a Senior Research Fellow in the Healthy Social Systems Lab and an Affiliated Researcher of the University of Glasgow Centre for Public Policy. Her work focuses on tackling health inequalities through systems approaches to research, policy and practice. She specialises in knowledge mobilisation, policy engagement and impact, working at the interface between academic research and decision-making to support healthier, fairer and more sustainable communities.
Jo plays a leading role in several major interdisciplinary research programmes. She co-leads systems transformation activities within GALLANT (Glasgow as a Living Lab Accelerating Novel Transformation), supporting the use of systems science approaches to help Glasgow become more climate resilient while addressing health, social and economic inequalities. She is also co-lead of the Policy Engagement Work Package for PHIUK Policy Modelling for Health, a UK-wide research programme focused on the economic determinants of health and health inequalities. Jo chairs the Thinktank and Advocacy Working Group and serves as Impact Lead, supporting collaboration between researchers, policymakers and practitioners.
Previously, Jo was Learning and Impact Champion for SIPHER (Systems Science in Public Health and Health Economics Research).
Before joining University of Glasgow, Jo worked with Public Health Scotland, where she led work on regional economies and health and was seconded to Glasgow City Region. She has extensive experience of working across local government, health and social care, academia and the third sector, with expertise spanning community engagement, housing, social care, migration, substance use, placemaking and economic development.
Jo is particularly interested in how systems thinking, participatory approaches and cross-sector collaboration can support evidence-informed policymaking and deliver meaningful improvements in population health and wellbeing. Her work seeks to strengthen connections between research, policy and practice, ensuring that evidence contributes to real-world action on the social, economic and environmental determinants of health.
Research interests
- Health inequalities and the social, economic and environmental determinants of health
- Systems science and systems transformation in public health
- Wellbeing Economy and Wellbeing in All Policies approaches
- Policy modelling and evidence-informed decision-making
- Knowledge mobilisation, policy engagement and research impact
- Climate resilience, sustainability and population health
- Place-based approaches to improving health and wellbeing
- Cross-sector collaboration between research, policy and practice
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- HealthModUK
Medical Research Council
2024 - 2028
