About
Who are we?

Prof Steve Griffin
(Jan 2022 – )
Professor of Virology, University of Leeds

Prof Anthony Costello
(May 2020 - )
Professor of Global Health and Sustainable Development, University College London; former Director at WHO

Prof Susan Michie
(May 2020 - )
Professor of Health Psychology and Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, participant in SPI(B), SAGE sub-committee

Dr Zubaida Haque
(May 2020 - )
Former Executive Director, The Equality Trust. Dr Haque is also a Commissioner on the Hamilton Commission

Prof Christina Pagel
(May 2020 - )
Professor of Operational Research (branch of applied mathematics), University College London; Vice President of the UK Operational Research Society (2021-2027)

Prof Aris Katzourakis
(Jan 2022 - )
Professor of Evolution and Genomics, University of Oxford

Prof Trish Greenhalgh
(Apr 2022 - )
Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences and Fellow of Green Templeton College at the University of Oxford

Dr Binita Kane
(Apr 2022 - )
Consultant Respiratory Physician, Honorary Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester School of Biomedical Sciences, Respiratory Programme Lead at Health Innovation Manchester

Prof Martin McKee
(May 2020 – ; Acting Chair Jan 2022 – March 2022)
Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Former President British Medical Association

Dr Kit Yates
(Oct 2020 - (On sabbatical Sept 2021 – March 2022))
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath

Dr Helen Salisbury
(August 2021 - )
General Practitioner (GP) and Senior Medical Education Fellow at the Department of Primary Care, Oxford University

Prof Sheena Cruickshank
(Apr 2022 - )
Immunologist and Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Public Engagement at the University of Manchester

Prof Stephen Reicher
(June 2020 - )
Professor of Social Psychology at the University of St Andrews, participant in SPI(B), SAGE sub-committee

Dr Duncan Robertson
(Apr 2022 - )
Policy & Strategy Analytics academic at Loughborough University and Fellow of St Catherine’s College, Oxford

Dr Lennard Lee
(Jan 2023 - )
Associate Professor and Medical Oncology Consultant, University of Oxford

Prof Gabriel Scally
(May 2020 - (On sabbatical Dec 2022 – Dec 2023))
Visiting Professor of Public Health at the University of Bristol, Former President of Epidemiology & Public Health section, Royal Society of Medicine (2019-2021)
Indie SAGE FAQs
What is Independent SAGE?
Independent SAGE is a group of scientists who are working together to provide independent scientific advice to the UK government and public on how to minimise deaths and support Britain’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. It stopped most of its activity in December 2023, but the group remains in frequent contact and has not formally disbanded.
Who’s in charge?
Professor Stephen Griffin and Professor Anthony Costello are co-chairs of Independent SAGE. Professor Susan Michie is deputy chair.
What next for Independent SAGE?
While Independent SAGE has finished its regular live-streamed briefings and report writing, it has not disbanded and is prepared to restart should circumstances change.
It has a Bluesky social media account and publishes regular post on the Independent SAGE substack channel – please do subscribe (it’s free)!
Independent SAGE scientists have published over 200 academic papers on aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a group, it has published two academic papers discussing its work:
– McKee et al, “Open science communication: The first year of the UK’s Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies“, Health Policy, 2022
– Greenhalgh et al, “Independent SAGE as an example of effective public dialogue on scientific research“, Nature Protocols, 2024.
Is it officially recognised?
No. Independent SAGE is entirely independent of government and was not part of the formal SAGE structure. It did however share its work openly with the government as well as with the public.
Are the scientists paid?
No. All the scientists contributed they time as unpaid voluntary work. They committed hours of their time every week to discuss the science, explain it to and discuss it with the public and produce reports. They put advice into the public domain because they believed the public wants to hear about the science surrounding COVID-19 and the thinking that underpins the government’s strategy.
How did Independent SAGE engage with the public?
Independent SAGE was founded with the intention of putting scientific facts and debate into the public domain. We believe openness and transparency leads to better understanding and better decision making. We also believe it the responsibility of scientists and those with specialist knowledge to engage with the public and policy makers, in order to ensure that science benefits all of society. Independent SAGE held live-streamed briefings discussing the current state of the pandemic and at which journalists, policy makers and members of the public could ask questions of the scientists. We also wrote reports and short statements covering different aspects of the pandemic response. A small support team helped Independent SAGE with its public events, website and media activities. They have been organised by The Citizens.
What is the relationship between Independent SAGE and The Citizens?
Independent SAGE and The Citizens are separate and independent organisations. The Citizens were a founding partner with Independent SAGE in May 2020. Citizens provided the support that allowed Independent SAGE to live-stream briefings, they ran Independent SAGE’s social media and web presence and supported the participation of guests (members of the public and media) in the briefings, and they helped launch new reports and fielded media enquiries for members of Independent SAGE. Academic members of Indie SAGE have provided small amounts of funds to The Citizens to support this work alongside The Citizens’ crowdfunders. The Citizens had no input into the content of reports or the advice that Independent SAGE gave to government and the public.
Is Independent SAGE a modelling group?
No. Independent SAGE did not commit to – or engage in – any particular modelling initiative. We occasionally drew on mathematical models from a variety of sources where relevant to a report. Most often these were from the government’s SAGE modelling subgroup (Spi-M).
What did Independent SAGE produce?
From the first meeting on May 4 2020 to the last meeting in December 2023, Independent SAGE has produced 62 reports, 50 short statements, hosted 139 live-streamed briefings (half of which featured special expert guests), developed a series of mythbusters and answered questions relating to the science, from the public, journalists and broadcasters across a whole range of topics.
The Independent SAGE Behavioural Advisory Group
The Behavioural Advisory Group was formed in the summer of 2020 to contribute to the discussions, advice and papers of Independent Sage.
The formation of the group recognised the central role of the behavioural and social sciences in the response to Covid-19. Every measure to counter the spread of infection is dependent upon the understanding, engagement and adherence to guidance of the public, whether that be self-isolating, social distancing, practising self-protective behaviours such as hand cleansing, getting tested or getting vaccinated.
The Independent SAGE Behavioural Advisory Group includes leading authorities in anthropology, behavioural sciences, criminology, health studies and psychology. Some of the members also participated in UK-wide and Scottish government advisory groups. Its role was complementary, not an alternative, to these other roles. It supports Independent SAGE in looking in depth at key policy issues.
Members of the behavioural advisory group
Prof Laura Bear
Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics; She is a participant in SPI-B (SAGE).
Prof John Drury
Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Sussex specialising in research on collective behaviour including behaviour in emergencies; Participant in SPI-B (SAGE)
Prof Ann Phoenix
Professor of Psychosocial Studies at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education.
Prof Liz Stokoe
Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at The London School of Economics and Political Science. She participates in the Policing and Security subgroup of SPI-B (SAGE).
Prof Robert West
Emeritus Professor of Health Psychology at University College London. He specialises in addiction and behaviour change. He is a participant in SPI-B (SAGE)
Prof Susan Michie
Professor of Health Psychology and Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, participant in SPI(B), SAGE sub-committee
Prof Stephen Reicher
Professor of Social Psychology at the University of St Andrews, participant in SPI(B), SAGE sub-committee
Former members and volunteers
Former members
Prof Deenan Pillay
(former member and Chair (May 2020 – Dec 2021; Apr 2022 – October 2022) (On sabbatical Jan 2022 – March 2022 ))
Professor of Virology, University College London
Dr Deepti Gurdasani
(April 2022 – May 2022)
Associate Professor of AI in Public Health, University of New South Wales
Sir David King
(May 2020 – August 2021)
Former Government CSA; founder and Chair, Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge; Senior Strategy Adviser to the President of Rwanda
Prof Kamlesh Khunti
(May 2020 – May 2021)
Professor of Primary Care & Diabetes, University of Leicester; Member of SAGE
Dr Alison Pittard
(May 2020 – May 2021)
Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Dean Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Prof Allyson Pollock
(May-September 2020)
Director of the Newcastle University Centre for Excellence in Regulatory Science
Prof Karl Friston
(May 2020 – May 2022)
Professor of Imaging Neuroscience/Wellcome Principal Research Fellow, University College London
Dr Tolullah Oni
(June 2020 – Feb 2022)
Public Health Physician Scientist and urban epidemiologist, and a Clinical Senior Research fellow with the University of Cambridge’s Global Public Health Research programme
Prof Danny Altmann
(Dec 2021 – Oct 2023)
Professor of Immunology, Imperial College London
Former members of the BAG
Prof Imran Awan
Professor of Criminology and an expert on tackling victimisation against BAME communities and the effects of violent crime in society
Prof Linda Bauld
Professor of Public Health at the University of Edinburgh. She specialises in public health policy and the evaluation of behavioural interventions. She serves as adviser to the Covid-19 Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
Prof Val Curtis
Val was Professor of Hygiene and Director of the Environmental Health Group at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She was an evolutionary anthropologist specialising in hygiene behaviour globally. She was a participant in SPI-B.
Volunteers
Bob Hawkins
Bob helped produce charts and source data for the weekly presentations from November 2020 to December 2023. His help each week was invaluable.