Mark Walport, the immunologist who heads up the Wellcome Trust, will be the next chief scientific adviser for the British government, reports Nature News. Walport will take over the post, advising the prime minister and cabinet, succeeding population biologist John Beddington next April. Nature adds that Walport "will be the first biomedical scientist in 30 years to occupy the role." Speaking about Walport's appointment, Nic Jones, chief scientist at Cancer Research UK, tells Nature: "I think it's going to be really important in terms of assuring that biomedical science is very high on the agenda in the government."