Alan Clive Roberts


Professor Alan Clive Roberts OBE KStJ TD is a consultant and clinical scientist, specialising in biomaterials, clinical prosthetics and implants in reconstructive surgery. He specialises in the research, development, and the use of tissue adhesives in wound management. He is known by some as the "father of tissue adhesive".
He was awarded Prince Philip Medal for research in the field of implantation materials in 1970, the MBE in 1982, and the OBE for contributions to science and technology in 2002.
He was Director of the Centre for Clinical Prosthetics at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Professor of Biomaterials in Surgery at Academic Surgical Unit of the University of Hull. He was also a consultant clinical scientist at Nuffield Hospital in Leeds, and the Head of Clinical Prosthetics Department at St Lukes Hospital Bradford. Roberts is former joint Director of the Institute of Health Research and was Chairman of the National Research Ethics Service from 2006-11. He was Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Court and Council at the University of Leeds from 1983-2000.
Roberts is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and was Vice-President of it from 2007–09 and the founder of the Technology in Medicine section of the Society. He was previously Honorary Treasurer of the Society. He was awarded with the Honorary Fellowship at the Royal Society of Medicine in 2010, the highest honour bestowed by the Royal Society of Medicine.

Background

Born in Exeter in 1934, he was a son of Major William Roberts MBE and Catherine Roberts. He attended Askam House School and Greggs College in Newcastle.

Medical Research

Roberts was a Scientific Officer of the Newcastle Royal Infirmary and completed his research degree in Medical Materiel. Roberts developed "Silskin" from research in 1992 which is the first universal prosthetic skin that has global use in clinical prosthetics.
Robert's research in 2006 has produced a prosthetic adhesive to effectively overcome the difficulty of attaching materials, prostheses, and devices to the body with particular reference to colostomy and facial prostheses. He has published numerous scientific papers and books on his subject.
He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a chartered biologist, a fellow of the Linnaean Society and a fellow at City & Guilds London Institute. He is a Companion of Honour at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He is a member of the international advisory board at the University of Malaysia Medical School and a former examiner to the University of Sheffield, School of Clinical Dentistry. He was an examiner at the University of Malta medical school in 2004. Roberts has been awarded with honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Leeds in 2000, the University of London in 2005, the University of Bradford in 2007, and Brunel University in 2007.

Other service

Following national service in the British Army, Roberts joined the Territorial Army in the Royal Artillery. As a reservist commanded the Leeds University Officer Training Corps as a Lieutenant-Colonel before becoming a Colonel and serving as Deputy Commander to the General Officer Commanding North East Military District. He is an honorary Colonel Commandant the Royal Artillery, as well as honorary colonel of 269 Battery 101 Regiment Royal Artillery and former honorary colonel of a number of reserve units. He is a former Chairman of the Council of United Kingdom Military Education Committees. He also served as an honorary Aide-de-Camp to Elizabeth II from 1980-1984. He is a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the County of West Yorkshire and County President South & West Yorkshire Royal British Legion
Professor Roberts is a Trustee of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the League of Mercy, Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury, SSAFA, Carmichael Walker Committee, West Riding Artillery Trust, Maritime Heritage Foundation. He was a County President of SSAFA West Yorkshire and is President of the Royal British Legion Leeds Group. He is President of Leeds District NSPCC, was County President at British Red Cross for West Yorkshire 1986-02. Chairman of the Army Benevolent Fund of West Yorkshire from 1972–75 and is Gentleman Usher of Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.