Russell Viner Professor of Adolescent Health at the UCL Institute of Child Health in London, a paediatrician and adolescent physician working with young people with diabetes at University College Hospital and he directs the Department of Health Obesity Policy Research Unit.

Russell set up the first Adolescent Medicine service in the UK and went on to become the UK's first Professor of Adolescent Health, helping lead a new focus on adolescent healthcare in the UK and Europe. He has acted as an advisor on adolescent health and obesity for the Departments of Health and for Education in England and for the World Health Organisation and Unicef internationally.

His research focuses on population health, policy and health services for children and young people, with a particular focus on obesity. He has published over 200 peer reviewed papers and is currently named on research grants with a collective value of more than £20 million.