Jan van der Meulen studied medicine at the University of Groningen (1985), and received a PhD (neurology / medical physics) from the University of Utrecht (1989). Since 1990, he have worked as a clinical epidemiologist in the Netherlands and the UK. He joined the School in January 2000. He collaborate with the Royal College of Surgeons of England (from 2001 to 2011 as the Director of the College's Clinical Effectiveness Unit). He also advise the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on research and audit since 2006.