Dame Nancy Rothwell is a distinguished neuroscientist and academic leader who served as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester from 2010 to 2024, becoming the first woman to lead the institution or either of its predecessor organizations in its long history. A double alumna of Queen Elizabeth College (which merged with King's College London in 1985), she earned her first-class degree in Physiology in 1976 followed by her PhD in 1978 and DSc in 1987 from the University of London. She relocated to Manchester in 1987, was appointed Professor of Physiology in 1994, and held a prestigious Medical Research Council Research Chair from 1998 to 2010. Prior to her presidency, she demonstrated exceptional leadership as Vice-President for Research from 2004 to 2007 and Deputy President & Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 2007 to 2010.
Professor Rothwell's pioneering research has made significant contributions to understanding inflammatory processes in brain disease, particularly identifying the critical role of the cytokine interleukin-1 in diverse forms of brain injury including stroke and head trauma. Her early work established foundational knowledge on mechanisms of energy balance regulation, obesity, and cachexia, while her more recent investigations have elucidated the mechanisms regulating interleukin-1 release and action. Most notably, her laboratory conducted the first early clinical trial of an interleukin-1 inhibitor in stroke patients, representing a groundbreaking translational achievement from basic research to clinical application. This work has fundamentally reshaped neuroprotective approaches and opened new therapeutic avenues for treating brain damage, with profound implications for neurological medicine worldwide.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Dame Nancy has been a transformative institutional leader who guided the University of Manchester through fifteen years of strategic growth, raising £273 million in philanthropic income to support research, capital projects, and scholarship programs. She championed major initiatives including the establishment of Alliance Manchester Business School, the extension of Manchester Museum and the Whitworth Art Gallery, and the visitor center at Jodrell Bank Observatory that contributed to its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. As founding President of the Royal Society of Biology and former co-Chair of the Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology, she has shaped national science policy while continuing to serve in influential advisory roles including Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester, member of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Board, and member of the UK Biobank Board, maintaining her commitment to scientific advancement and institutional leadership across the United Kingdom.
