Daniel M. Davis, author of THE SECRET BODY, THE BEAUTIFUL CURE and THE COMPATIBILITY GENE, has received an MBE for services to science communication in the 2025 New Year Honours list.

Daniel M. Davis is Head of Life Sciences and Professor of Immunology at Imperial, and his achievements in microscopy have helped pioneer the nanoscale biology of immune cell recognition. He holds a PhD in Physics but switched to studying the human immune system as a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University. He became a Professor at Imperial at age 35 and later he held the position of Professor of Immunology at the University of Manchester. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Professor Davis is a passionate science communicator and a popular speaker at science, literary and music festivals. His book have been published by Penguin Random House: THE COMPATIBILITY GENE was longlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize; THE BEAUTIFUL CURE was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize, was a Book of the Year in the Times, Telegraph and New Scientist, and has been translated into 15 languages; and THE SECRET BODY, which was a finalist for a Prose Award by the Association of American Publishers. His next book will be published soon; SELF DEFENCE: A MYTH-BUSTING GUIDE TO IMMUNE HEALTH.

His articles tackling complex and high-profile immunology topics such as vaccines and the use of genetic data in research have been published by many of the UK’s leading newspapers, as well as in New Scientist, Wired, and Scientific American. He has appeared on many radio and TV programmes, including The Infinite Monkey Cage for BBC Radio 4, and Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch.

Professor Davis said “A huge number of people have helped me in this, and I thank you all, deeply. Everyone who has been in my research team, guiding my thinking over many years. Countless other scientists too who have shaped my research and life in general. And everyone who has helped me present immunology to a wide audience, from producers to editors. My family too, of course.

“When I started this, immunology was not really a big topic in public discussion. ‘Why would anyone want a book about HLAgenes?’ someone once said. But things have changed. The immune system is a frontier of science whose time has come. By writing and talking about its wonders and its importance, I hope that I have done something useful and meaningful.”