Nancy Rothwell

Dame Nancy Jane Rothwell (born 2 October 1955 ) is a British physiologist.

She enrolled at the University of London and obtained a first-class degree in physiology (1976) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (1979) from Queen Elizabeth College, now part of King's College, London.

In 1984 she was awarded a Royal Society Research Fellowship and relocated to Manchester in 1987 and numerous grants by the BBSRC.

Rothwell was later awarded a Doctor of Science degree in 1987 by King's College London and an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Bath in 2009.

Rothwell's early research identified mechanisms of energy balance regulation, obesity and cachexia.

She was appointed to a chair in physiology in 1994, then a Medical Research Council research chair in 1998.

Her current research focusses on the role of inflammation in brain disease and has identified the role of the cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) in diverse forms of brain injury.

Her studies have begun to elucidate the mechanisms regulating IL-1 release and its action and her group have conducted the first early clinical trial of an IL-1 inhibitor in strokes.

She served as president of the British Neuroscience Association and a council member of Medical Research Council (MRC).

In 1998 she delivered the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture on The Secrets of Life, televised by the BBC.

From October 2004, Rothwell served as vice-president for research of the university.

Rothwell served as non-executive director of pharmaceuticals company AstraZeneca from 2006 to 2015, co-chair of the Council for Science and Technology and past President of the Royal Society of Biology.

In 2009, Rothwell became the first president of the Society of Biology, now the Royal Society of Biology.

She has served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester since July 2010, having served as Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor until January 2010.

In 2010 she was overseeing a research group of about 20 scientists, with significant external funding and was announced to succeed Alan Gilbert as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester on 1 July 2010.

She is a trustee of Cancer Research UK, the Campaign for Medical Progress, a council member of BBSRC, chair of the Research Defence Society and the Wellcome Trust's Public Engagement Strategy Committee and a non-executive director of AstraZeneca.

In January 2010, Rothwell was appointed deputy president and deputy vice-chancellor.

Until Alan Gilbert retired she was acting president due to his sick leave.

On 21 June 2010, she was appointed president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester.

She assumed her post on 1 July 2010, succeeding Gilbert, who had retired after nearly six years.

She became the first woman to lead the University of Manchester or either of its two predecessor institutions.

Commenting on her appointment, she said: "I am honoured and delighted to be invited to lead the University at this exciting time. I am determined to maintain the strategic focus that we have developed over the past six years and to work closely with colleagues to identify new priorities and opportunities for the University in the very challenging external environment that we will face over the next few years."

The chairman of the appointment panel and chairman-elect of the university's board of governors, Anil Ruia, said: "Dame Nancy will bring her own distinctive strengths, perspective and style to the role of President and Vice-Chancellor which will enable the University to build upon the remarkable progress that we have made under Professor Alan Gilbert's leadership."

She is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and since September 2020 has been chair of the Russell Group, which represents 24 of the leading universities in the UK.

In March 2021, students at the University of Manchester passed a vote of no confidence in Rothwell due to her response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rothwell was born in Tarleton, a village near Preston, Lancashire.

She was educated at Penwortham Girls' Grammar School and then went to college where she took A-levels in maths, physics, chemistry and art, having dropped biology aged 14.

In May 2020, Rothwell was appointed as the chair of the Russell Group, starting September 2020.

The group represents 24 of the leading universities in the UK.

In 2023 it was announced that Rothwell would stand down as President and Vice-chancellor of the University in 2024.

In April 2020, Rothwell wrote to University of Manchester staff warning that the loss of revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic would result in pay cuts and possible job losses.

In September 2020 she warned that students who failed to follow social distancing rules could be excluded from the university campus.

In the autumn 2020 semester the university's handling of the pandemic and the second national lockdown led to criticism and protests.

In September 2020, university officials said they had taken precautions including staggered arrivals, social distancing and a reduced lecture timetable, though university staff alleged they were being pressured into conducting face-to-face teaching.

In October 2020 the Fallowfield area, home to the university's Fallowfield Campus, saw more COVID-19 cases than any other part of the UK.

Rothwell launched an investigation after fences were erected around campus residences in November 2020 and apologised for the university's "very poor communication" with students.

Days later students began a rent strike and occupied a campus building and demanded Rothwell meet with them to discuss a proposed rent discount.

Later in November Rothwell acknowledged the university had made "mistakes" in its approach to the pandemic and said that, while many students supported the measures, others felt "let down".

The inquiry issued a report in December 2020, which identified failures of project management on the university's part and a failure to engage with students; Rothwell accepted the inquiry's findings and pledged to implement its recommendations.

Also in November 2020, anti-racist campaigners called on Rothwell to resign following an incident in which a black student was detained and allegedly racially profiled by university security guards.