Hannah Kuper

Professor Hannah Kuper is a Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), where she has worked since 2002. She is the founder and Co-Director of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability, dedicated to advancing research and teaching on global disability issues. Her work focuses on improving health equity for people with disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), with a particular emphasis on healthcare access, disability inclusion in development programs, and policy advocacy.

She holds a ScD in Epidemiology from Harvard University and a BA in Human Sciences from Oxford University. Her professional roles include Co-Chair of the Lancet Commission on Disability and Health, and she leads an FCDO-funded grant examining disability inclusion strategies. She has held progressive academic positions at LSHTM, including Reader (2013–2016), Senior Lecturer (2006–2013), and Lecturer (2002–2006). Additionally, she served as a Research Fellow at UCL (2020–2022).

Her research interests span global health equity, disability epidemiology, and health system reforms. Notable projects include the Lancet Commission on Disability and Health, the Missing Billion Initiative, and evaluations of disability-inclusive interventions in Uganda, Chile, Malawi, and Brazil. She has supervised 18 doctoral students to completion, including current advisees focusing on disability healthcare access.

• Grants: Leads a major FCDO-funded grant on disability inclusion and an NIHR Global Research Professorship.
• Awards: NIHR Global Research Professorship (2025).
• Professional Activities: Member of the WHO World Report on Disability and Health Committee, UNICEF Evidence and Gap Map on Disability, and the Special Olympics Inclusive Health Committee.

Her work has produced over 460 publications, focusing on topics such as disability access barriers, healthcare equity, and policy reforms. She also contributes to educational initiatives, including leading MOOCs on disability and teaching epidemiology.