08/11/2017
The Babraham Institute is pleased to announce the recruiting of four new members to the Board of Trustees. These highly-skilled new additions each bring years of experience in leadership and governance to the Institute. Working alongside Professor Peter Rigby and the other existing Trustees, they will play a pivotal role in shaping the vision and strategy of the Institute over the coming years ensuring that our research continues to be at the forefront of scientific discovery. The new Trustees recently attended their first Institute Board meeting and had meetings with several key members of Institute staff.
Our new Trustees represent a variety of different relevant backgrounds that are all integral to the operation of the Institute. Professor Nic Jones, who joined the Board earlier in the year, brings years of research experience in cell biology. Mr Geoff Braham is highly-skilled in finance and accountancy. Whilst, fresh from the Board of the Francis Crick Institute, Dr Lynne Gailey brings her abilities in strategic communications. Finally, Mr Graham Allen’s extensive knowledge of academic work in and around Cambridge will ensure we continue to form strong partnerships and collaborations with our neighbours.
Speaking about the new Trustees, Chair of the Board, Professor Peter Rigby said: “It is a pleasure to have Nic, Geoff, Lynne and Graham joining the Board. They are all respected members of their fields and have insightful, forward-thinking views that will be essential to ensuring that the Babraham Institute continues to be a leading centre for ground-breaking research in the years ahead.”
Institute Director, Professor Michael Wakelam, said: “The Board provides direction and leadership to the Institute and I am thrilled to have such widely-respected leaders joining us to spearhead our efforts over the coming years. I am confident that they have the Institute’s interests at heart and will ensure we continue to prosper.”
In detail, the new Trustees are:
Professor Nic Jones (shown left)– An expert in cancer cell biology, Professor Jones is Director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre and leads the Paterson Institute's Cell Regulation Laboratory. His research focuses on how cells respond to stress and the role this has in disease. He trained at University College London and the University of Edinburgh before moving to work in the US, where he became an independent researcher. Since returning to the UK in 1985, Professor Jones has worked in London and Manchester and spent five years as Cancer Research UK’s Chief Scientist.
Mr Geoff Braham (shown right) – Mr Braham is a Chartered Accountant who for over 20 years worked for Baxter Healthcare, a US-based Fortune 500 healthcare company. Most recently he served as their Finance Director for the UK and Ireland before retiring in 2016. Geoff is now involved in the governance of NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups and a Centre for Disabled Children. In addition to joining the Board, Geoff will become Chair of the Babraham Institute Audit Committee from 1st January 2018.
Dr Lynne Gailey (shown left) – For nearly six years Lynne was an independent member of the Board of Trustees of the Francis Crick Institute, where she chaired the Remuneration Committee and was a member of the Audit Committee. Before joining the Crick, Lynne was responsible for corporate communications at GE Healthcare, Amersham and SmithKline Beecham. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Leeds and is a Magistrate, sitting on the Central London Bench.
Mr Graham Allen (shown right) – Mr Allen has lived and worked in Cambridge for many years and he is currently the Vice-President of Wolfson College. From 1983 to 2015, he served various roles in the central administration of the University of Cambridge, most recently as Academic Secretary, the University’s senior administrative officer. In that role, Mr Allen was responsible for all aspects of the University’s academic work. He read chemistry at Oxford and has also served as Governor of the Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Contact Dr Jonathan Lawson, Babraham Institute Communications Manager jonathan.lawson@babraham.ac.uk
Image Top: Babraham Hall on the Babraham Research Campus Inset: Images of the new trustees: Professor Nic Jones (image courtesy of Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute), Mr Geoff Braham, Dr Lynne Gailey and Mr Graham Allen.
About the Babraham Institute The Babraham Institute receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to undertake world-class life sciences research. Its goal is to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Research focuses on signalling, gene regulation and the impact of epigenetic regulation at different stages of life. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and support healthier ageing.
08 November 2017