Heidi J. Larson

Heidi J. Larson is a Professor of Anthropology, Risk and Decision Science at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and holds additional roles as a Clinical Professor at the Institute of Health Metrics & Evaluation, University of Washington, and a Guest Professor at the University of Antwerp. She is also the Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project and a Fellow at the Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security.

• Primary Affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, LSHTM
• Additional Roles: Clinical Professor (University of Washington), Guest Professor (University of Antwerp)
• Research Leadership: Principal Investigator for the EU-funded EBODAC project, Vaccine Confidence Index developer

Her research focuses on social and political influences on health intervention uptake, particularly vaccine hesitancy, risk management, and public trust during emergencies. She has led global initiatives like the State of Vaccine Confidence in the EU and contributed to WHO and FDA working groups on vaccine communication.

Key publication: STUCK: How Vaccine Rumors Start – and Why They Don’t Go Away (Oxford University Press, 2020).

Scientific Awards & Recognition:

• Edinburgh Medal (2021)
• BBC 100 Most Influential Women (2021)

She collaborates with multiple institutions, including the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination (University of Antwerp), and leads projects such as the Lancet-LSHTM Commission into the Emotional Determinants of Health and the Africa CDC Working Group (2020–2023).