Dr Ishbel Henderson
Subject: Medicine and Biomedical Science
Department: Welfare
College appointment: Dean for Welfare
Academic position: Research Fellow
Contact
Background
I am the Dean for Welfare and a Research Fellow at Magdalen, based between the College and the Nuffield Department of Primary Care. I grew up in Scotland and studied Immunology at the University of Glasgow before completing an MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise at the University of Cambridge. I came to Oxford in 2021 for my DPhil and joined Magdalen in 2026.
Research Interests
My research is in public health, with a particular interest in how physical activity can be better used in healthcare. I look at this across different stages of life, from physical activity interventions for young adults with anxiety and depression, to using changes in everyday activity as an early warning signal of declining health in older adults. I am interested in improving access to exercise-based therapies and in collaborating between academia, healthcare systems, and industry that help translate research into practice, and ensure it helps the people it’s designed for.
Welfare
I am part of the welfare team, and have overall responsibility for the welfare provision in College. I am available to listen to the concerns of our junior members and help direct them to the most appropriate source of support. I also work alongside the Senior Dean to help any junior member who require financial assistance. For more information on my role within the welfare team please visit the College’s Welfare and Wellbeing page.
Department Staff
The Revd Professor Robert Gilbert
Professor Chris Garland
Professor Maheshi Ramasamy
Dr Dominic Alonzi
Dr Lauren Phillips
Professor Richard Cornall
Professor Quentin Sattentau
Professor Sir Adrian Hill KBE
Professor Gero Miesenböck
Professor Teresa Thurston
Professor Sir Peter Ratcliffe
Professor Michael Goldacre
Professor John Stein
Dr Rebecca Shakir
Professor Peter Sullivan
Professor Stephen Goodwin
