Heidi Larson

Professor Heidi Larson is a leading academic in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Dynamics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), holding a Professorship in Anthropology - Risk and Decision Science. Her work focuses on vaccine confidence, public health communication, and the social dimensions of health policy. She holds additional academic positions at the University of Washington and Imperial College London, and has served in senior advisory roles at UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

Education includes a BA from Harvard College, followed by MA and PhD in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research spans vaccine hesitancy, health communication strategies, and the intersection of technology with public health, with recent emphasis on chatbots and AI for improving vaccination uptake. Key grants include funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institute of Health.

Major awards include an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Antwerp (2019). Her publications in 2025 emphasize crisis trust-building, HPV vaccine interventions, and AI-driven health surveillance. She leads multidisciplinary teams addressing global health challenges through innovative communication and policy frameworks.