Professor of Health Psychology

NIHR Senior Investigator

President of European Health Psychology Society (2024-2026)

MRC/ NIHR Complex Intervention Framework update (for third version of Framework), Scientific Advisory Group member and author (Nov 2017 – Sept 2021)

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, sub-panel 2: Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care, Panel Member in the assessment phase (2020 to 2022)

Member of several research funding panels, including, NIHR Public Health Research programme (2015-2019), MRC Methodology Research Programme (2014-2018), and NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (2009-2014)

British Journal of Health Psychology (official journal of British Psychological Society): Editor (Jan 2013-Dec 2017);

After studying at the Universities of Hull and Cardiff, David French worked as a research assistant at the University of Leicester, before completed his PhD at Guys, Kings and St Thomas Medical School, University of London in 1999. This was followed by a Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship in Health Services Research at the Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge.  He then worked as a Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and as Reader and then Professor at Coventry University.  In October 2012 he moved to the University of Manchester as Professor of Health Psychology.

Selected external research funding

• A Farmer, DP French, D Hughes, L Locock, L Tarassenko, LM Yu, P Bower, R Horne, V Williams, J Mc Sharry, C Velardo, B Shields, R Rea, B Gudgin, & P Van Den Berg. Supporting people with type 2 diabetes in effective use of their medicine through a system comprising mobile health technology integrated with clinical care. NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (Apr 2017-Jun 2024) £2 580 075.
• M Sutton, P Bower, T Chandola, W Whittaker, C Sanders, P Wilson, D French, S Cotterill, D Reeves, E Kontopatelis, R Meacock.  Evaluating the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP): the DIPLOMA research programme (Diabetes Prevention – Long term Multimethod Assessment).  NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (Apr 2017 to Apr 2023).  £ £2,052,127.
• A Slatcher, and others including (Manchester) J Rothwell, AJ Barker, S Lindley, DP French, & J Anderson. GROW GREEN: Green cities for climate and water resilience, sustainable economic growth, healthy citizens and environments. European Commission Horizon 2020 (Jun 2017 to Aug 2023) €11 224 058.
• DG Evans (CoPI), DP French (CoPI), A Maxwell, F Ulph, M Harvie, R Dobrashian, S Astley, J Kokan, F Harrison, A Howell, J Cuzick, K Payne, N Qureshi, SW Duffy, T van Staa.  Providing breast cancer risk information as part of national breast cancer screening programme: building an evidence base on benefits and harms to inform a decision to implement (PROCAS2). NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (Aug 2017 to Jun 2022).  £962 475.
• S Delaloge and others including (Manchester) DG Evans, DP French, A Maxwell, S Astley & A Howell.  MyPeBS (My Personal Breast Screening): Randomized Comparison Of Risk-Stratified versus Standard Breast Cancer Screening In European Women Aged 40-70.  European Commission Horizon 2020 (Jan 2018 to Jun 2027).  €12,361,858.
• N Cullum, B Bridgewater, N Pendleton, N Peek, K Lovell, D Hodgson, P Bower, P Wilson, M Sutton, P Bee, R Webb, S Bucci, P Chitsabesan, J Green, K Abel, L Cree, L Walker, C Todd, S Burden, A Burns, G Grande, J Keady, E Stanmore, T O’Neill, M Morciano, L Anselm, J Dumville, YS Lau, R Meacock, L Munford, J Stokes, A Turner, S Turner, D Dowding, J Ainsworth, W Dixon, S van der Veer, K Checkland, W Whittaker, P Nelson, F Bradley, S Spooner, C Robinson, K Walshe, E Schafheutle, A McBride, R Kislov, D French, C Armitage, J Yorke, J Lavallee, C Sharp, E Kontopantelis, C Sanders. NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester.  NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (Oct 2019 to Mar 2026).  £15,683,463.
• M Sutton, P Bower, D French, S Cotterill, E Murray, J Ross, D Reeves, E Kontopantelis, & R Meacock.  Evaluating the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP): the DIPLOMA research programme (Diabetes Prevention – Long term Multimethod Assessment) – variation to contract to examine Digital NHS DPP.  NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (Feb 2020 to Mar 2023).  £789,228.
• S Cotterill, P Bower, D French, E Kontopantelis, R Elliott, P Wilson, B McMillan, M Rutter, C Sanders, & S Giles.  Healthy Living Diabetes - Long-term Independent National Evaluation (HEDLINE).  NIHR Policy Research Programme (May 2020 to Sept 2024).  £750,000.
• DG Evans, S Howell, A Antoniou, M Widschwendter, D Easton, S Astley, S Wright, K Payne, J Usher-Smith, DP French, & N Peek.  A case control study of women aged 30-39 to augment breast cancer risk prediction and assess acceptability and preference of systematic risk prediction approach through primary care.  Cancer Research UK (ACED: International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection) (Sept 2021 to Dec 2025).  £528,154.
• C Faivre-Finn, G Price, S Devaney, S Hølm, E Kontopantelis, T van Staa, A McWilliam, K Payne, DP French, C Sanders, N Proudlove, R Willans, S Parsons, L Hamrang, & B Turner.  Using real world data and rapid learning to drive improvements in lung cancer survival.  NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (Nov 2021 to Jan 2027).  £2,376,526.
• YK Bartlett (CoPI), DP French (CoPI), A Farmer, M Harvie, & M Mistry.  Developing evidence-based text messages to target diet and physical activity behaviour for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.  NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (Apr 2022 to Jun 2024).  £150,574.
• I Bruce, and others including (Cancer Prevention and Early Detection theme) DG Evans, E Crosbie, R Bristow, P Crosbie, DP French, M Harvie, S Howell, P Martin-Hirsch, K Payne, A Renehan, E Woodward, S Astley, L McWilliams, B Simoes, M Smith, V Sivalingam, & S Kitson.  Manchester Biomedical Research Centre.  NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (Nov 2022 to Oct 2027). £59,148,049.
• D Ray, S Kyle, A Farmer, I Madan, P Bower, L Holmes, S Petrou, LM Yu, R Travis, N Park,& DP French.  Developing and testing an intervention for shiftwork sleeping disorder in NHS workers.  NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (Apr 2023 to Mar 2028).  £2,551,589.
• S McDonough, D Hurley-Osing, H French, A Stephenson, C Kinneavy, & D French. Sustaining activity with arthritis (SAWA) following an Arthritis Ireland Be active with arthritis (BAWA) exercise programme.  Health Research Board (Ireland).  (Apr 2023 to Sept 2025).  €198,832.
• B McMillan, DP French, & K Bartlett.  Developing an interactive patient facing cardiovascular risk calculator to promote engagement and uptake of health behaviour change programmes.  EMIS National User Group (Oct 2023 to Sept 2026).  £94,498.
• R Chuter, R Lillywhite, D French, C Sanders, K Payne, J Wilkinson, & D Kirby.  Initial study to coMpare the carbon footPRINT, patient experience and resources of standard and hypofractionated radiotherapy (IMPRINT).  NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (Apr 2024 to Sept 2025).  £432,568.
• S Howell, D French, S Merriel, O Allen, & S Astley.  A study to determine the acceptability to patients and NHS staff, of radiofrequency assessment (Micrima) of breast density in primary care and community settings.  Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance (Jul 2024 to Jun 2025).  £65,000.
• J Usher-Smith (CoPI), DP French (CoPI), G Evans, S Howell, L McWilliams, S Wright, A Antoniou, S Archer, S Morris, M Tischkowitz, D Easton, F Stutzin-Donoso, S Sharp, P Moyle, & K Taylor.  PREVENT-Breast - Proactive Risk Evaluation for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer in younger women.  Cancer Research UK (ACED: International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection) (Sept 2024 to Feb 2027).  £490,473.
• V Woof, DP French, J Usher-Smith, & C Sanders. Designing a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Service for Young Women from Irish Traveller, Gypsy and Roma communities: A Focus Group and Co-Design Study.  Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC)  (Feb 2025 to Jul 2025).  £17,000.
• DP French, DG Evans, & V Woof.  What is the psychological impact of personalised breast cancer screening? Comparisons with standard breast screening in six countries in the “My Personal Breast Screening” (MyPeBS) randomised clinical trial.  Breast Cancer Now (Oct 2025 to Sept 2029).  £117,591.
• DP French.  Personal award. NIHR Senior Investigator (Apr 2025 to Mar 2029).  £80,000.

Current research interests

• Screening programmes: behavioural, emotional and implementation aspects
• Cancer prevention and early detection
• Interventions to change health-related behaviours (development and evaluation)
• Understanding maintenance of changes in behaviour
• Walking, including walking groups
• Medication adherence
• Developing interventions with reach
• Evaluations of built environment interventions
• The role of self-efficacy in changing behaviour
• Risk communication
• Measurement reactivity

• Fellow of European Health Psychology Society
• Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
• Full Member of the BPS Division of Health Psychology
• Chartered Psychologist
• Registered as a Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council
• Member of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine

B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology (Hull) 2i 1990
M.Sc. in Applied (i.e. Occupational) Psychology (Wales) 1992
Ph.D. in Health Psychology (GKT School of Medicine, Kings College London) 1999