New Director for the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre
18 August 2008
A new director has been appointed to lead the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre (CSC) at Imperial College London. Professor Amanda Fisher has been interim Director since January 08 and has now been appointed on a permanent basis.
Professor Fisher is joint head of the Lymphocyte Development group at the MRC CSC and chair of the Epigenetics and Development Section. She obtained her PhD at the University of Birmingham and was awarded a Lady Tata Memorial Fellowship to study at the National Institutes of Health, before returning to Europe in 1987. In 1993 she was invited by the MRC to establish a research team at the newly formed CSC in London, with interests in lymphocyte development and haematopoiesis. In 2002 Professor Fisher was awarded the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) gold medal. Her current research investigates cell commitment and gene regulation during development and increasing the understanding of the molecular basis of pluripotency and the chromatin-mediated events that occur during lineage restriction and differentiation.
The Chief Executive of the MRC, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, said:
“I am delighted that Professor Fisher has agreed to lead the CSC. Professor Fisher is an outstanding scientist who has made significant contribution to the field of epigenetics, and will lead the CSC to build on its world-leading reputation.”
Professor Fisher said:
“Taking on the directorship of one of the MRC’s leading institutes is a great honour, and I look forward to ensuring the continuing excellence of science at the CSC. The centre aims to improve our understanding of human health and disease through interdisciplinary research. The challenge now for the CSC is to realise the global opportunities and demands for improved clinical, translational and basic science.”
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