Professor Bobby McFarland has been named in the 2026 TIME100 World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health.
Professor McFarland is the action medical research professor of neuromuscular disease at Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals’ director of the NHS highly specialised service for rare mitochondrial.
He leads a team of clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals dedicated to the diagnosis and management of mitochondrial disease.
The list spotlights the 100 most influential leaders this year. As the global order has shifted, these innovators, leaders and pioneers have pushed new ideas – from gene therapies to regulatory agencies – ahead to build healthier populations around the world.
Research breakthroughs
The close association of Professor McFarland’s research and clinical work pays dividends in driving recruitment to the extremely successful national mitochondrial disease patient study which now has more than 2,200 participants. This has led to the rapid translation of research breakthroughs into clinical practice, directly benefiting patients.
Professor Quentin Anstee, pro-vice-chancellor of Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences said: “The work of the team in Newcastle is transforming the lives of families affected by mitochondrial disease. Professor McFarland’s role in bringing pioneering University research together with NHS services to make that transformation possible is rightly recognised by this award.
“Having fostered this research within the Faculty of Medical Sciences for over a decade, we are proud to see how it is improving the health and futures of families.”
Significant contribution to mitochondrial research
Prof. McFarland has made significant contributions to mitochondrial research with over 220 peer-reviewed publications, many in high impact journals such as Lancet and NEJM. He recently published a paper on the birth of 8 babies following a pioneering IVF technique reducing the risk of mitochondrial diseases.
He has been at the forefront of the introduction of mitochondrial donation, a pioneering technique to prevent transmission of mitochondrial disease, to the UK and leads the neurodevelopmental outcome study to assess the safety and efficacy of this technique.
Prof. McFarland has championed public and policy engagement to improve public understanding of decision-making in life-limiting diseases affecting children, including the introduction of mitochondrial donation as a reproductive option
Read the full list on the Times website.
