Seven new members appointed to MRC Council
14 October 2008
The Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, has announced the appointment of seven new members to the MRC Council. Four scientific vacancies and three other vacancies have been filled. The Medical Research Council supports research to improve human health. It is governed by its Council, which directs and oversees corporate policy and science strategy, ensures that the MRC is effectively managed, and makes major policy and spending decisions.
The following scientists have been appointed to the MRC Council:
• Professor Michael Arthur, Vice Chancellor of the University of Leeds and a director of the Russell Group
• Dr Richard Henderson, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology
• Professor Sally Macintyre, University of Glasgow and Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
• Professor Michael Schneider, Head of Cardiovascular Science, Imperial College London
Other vacancies have been filled by the following people:
• Professor Jeffrey Almond, Vice-President, Discovery Research and External Research and Development at Sanofi Pasteur
• Dr Annette Doherty, Vice President, Research, Site Head and Site Leader, Sandwich Laboratories, Pfizer Global Research and Development
• Lord Naren Patel, Chancellor of the University of Dundee and life peer, House of Lords
Sir John Chisholm, Chairman of the MRC said: “We welcome the newly appointed members who will bring a great breadth of expertise and experience to MRC Council. I am sure they will enjoy their new roles in an organisation with such an outstanding reputation for scientific excellence.”
Notes:
Appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice. Richard Henderson and Annette Doherty will not receive any remuneration for this appointment. The remuneration for each of the other appointments is £6570 per year.
All new appointments are from 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2012.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Lord Patel has declared his activity as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, and his membership of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. There is no remuneration for these appointments. None of the other appointees’ has declared any political activity.
New members have declared the following other public appointments:
Professor Michael Arthur:
Yorkshire Forward
Member: 2006 – 2009
Remuneration: Approx £8500 pa
Qualification and Curriculum Authority
Member 2007 – 2010
Remuneration: None
Fulbright Commission
Commissioner: 2008 – 2011
Remuneration: None
Professor Jeffrey Almond:
Spongiform Encepalopathies Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Member: 1995 – 1999
Remuneration: Daily
Lord Naren Patel:
National Patient Safety Agency
Chair: Oct 2005 – Oct 2009
Remuneration: £60k pa
MoD Equalities & Diversity Council
Remuneration: £1500 pa
MRC Stem Cell Oversight Commission
Chair: Oct 2004 – Oct 2008
Remuneration: None
Phone: 0207 670 5478
press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
MRC/38/08
