David Coggon studied mathematics and medicine at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. He is currently Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Southampton University where he works in the Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit. He has been engaged in epidemiological research for more than 20 years, focusing mainly on occupational and environmental causes of disease. Special interests include the relation of musculo-skeletal disorders to physical activities in the workplace, and the health effects of chemical pollutants. He is also a consultant occupational physician and carries out clinical work for Southampton University Hospitals Trust. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, and a member of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards and of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.