Degrees: MB ChB 1975; MD (With Honours) 1986; MRCP (UK) 1978
FRCP (Glasgow) 1989; FRCP (Edinburgh) 1990

Professor William MacNee is Professor of Respiratory & Environmental Medicine, University of Edinburgh and Honorary Consultant Physician, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and a Visiting Professor in the School of Life Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh.  He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of both Glasgow and Edinburgh.  He was chairman of the European Respiratory Society Scientific Committee 1999-2004 and was Chairman of the ERS Lung Science Conference 2003-2005.  Professor MacNee was President of the European Respiratory Society (2006-07) and is now Past President for 2007-08. 

His research interests involve the study of aspects of the inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and particularly the cell and molecular mechanisms of the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in the lungs. He has developed an interest in the processes by which the lungs deal with inhaled toxic substances especially air pollutants.  He has published over 230 original scientific papers, chapters and reviews and is editor or co-editor of several books. 

Peer Reviewed Publications – 300; Review Articles and Chapters in books – 53; Editor – 5 books.