Dame Nancy Rothwell DBE DL FMedSci FRS

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell FRS is President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester.  She joined the Victoria University of Manchester in 1987, became Professor of Physiology in 1994 and held an MRC Research Chair from 1998 to 2010. Concurrent with her Faculty posts she has also held University roles as Vice-President for Research (2004-2007) and as Deputy President & Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2007-2010).  Her own research in the field of neuroscience, which is ongoing, has contributed towards major advances in the understanding and treatment of brain damage in stroke and head injury.


She was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in June 2004 and made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 2005, in recognition of her services to science.


Professor Rothwell became President and Vice-Chancellor in July 2010, the first woman to lead The University of Manchester or either of its two predecessor institutions.  She was the founding President of the Royal Society of Biology and has also served as co-Chair of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, and as a non-executive director of AstraZeneca.  She is currently Chair of the Russell Group, a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester, a Commissioner on the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, and a member of the UK Investment Council, the Oxford Road Corridor Board, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Board, the UK Biobank Board and the Times Education Commission.


Professor Rothwell takes a strong and active interest in public communication of science and regularly gives talks to schools and the public and contributes to television, radio and press, particularly on sensitive issues in science. In 1998 she delivered the Royal institution Christmas Lectures, televised by the BBC.

Professional position

  • Co-Chair, Council for Science and Technology (CST)
  • Former President and Vice Chancellor, The University of Manchester
  • Committee Member, Science & Technology Honours Committee, Cabinet Office
  • Chair of Board, Corridor Manchester
  • Member, Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership
  • Campaign and External Relations Ambassador and Emerita Professor of Physiology, The University of Manchester

Subject groups

  • Other

    Public understanding of science

  • Health and Human Sciences

    Clinical neuroscience

  • Multicellular Organisms

    Cellular neuroscience, Physiology incl biophysics of cells (non-clinical), Animal (especially mammalian) and human physiology and anatomy (non-clinical)

Dame Nancy Rothwell DBE DL FMedSci FRS
Elected 2004

Committees

Participated Role
Sectional Committee 8: Multicellular organisms December 2004 - November 2008 Chair
Education Committee January 2008 - December 2010 Chair
Council December 2008 - November 2010 Member
Rosalind Franklin Award Committee January 2005 - December 2007 Member
Audit Committee December 2008 - February 2010 Member
Education Committee January 2010 - December 2010 Chair
Council December 2013 - November 2016 Member
Council November 2024 - November 2027 Member