33 Facts About Nancy Rothwell

Nancy Rothwell served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester from 2010 to 2024, having deputised in both roles until January 2010.

Nancy Rothwell served as co-chair of the Council for Science and Technology, and past President of the Royal Society of Biology.

Nancy Rothwell served as Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and served as chair of the Russell Group from 2020 to 2023, which represents 24 of the research intensive universities in the UK.

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

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

Nancy Rothwell was awarded a Doctor of Science degree in 1987 by King's College London.

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

Nancy Rothwell's 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.

Nancy Rothwell served as president of the British Neuroscience Association and a council member of Medical Research Council.

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

Nancy Rothwell 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, Nancy Rothwell was appointed deputy president and deputy vice-chancellor.

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

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

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

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

Nancy 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 Nancy Rothwell meet with them to discuss a proposed rent discount.

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; Nancy Rothwell accepted the inquiry's findings and pledged to implement its recommendations.

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

Nancy Rothwell retired from her position as Vice Chancellor in July 2024 and was succeeded by Duncan Ivison.

In February 2013, Nancy Rothwell was assessed as the 15th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.

Nancy Rothwell was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 Birthday Honours, Fellow of the Royal Society in 2004, Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Nancy Rothwell has made major discoveries in the areas of energy balance, host defence responses, and neurodegeneration, several of which are now being translated into clinical benefit.

Nancy Rothwell demonstrated the key role of specific cytokines and the hormone leptin in the integration and regulation by the brain of host defence responses to infection and injury.

Nancy Rothwell was the first to show that the cytokine IL-1 mediates ischaemic brain damage, challenging the view that immune or inflammatory processes are unimportant in the brain.

Nancy Rothwell patented the use of IL-1 inhibitors to prevent acute neurodegeneration and is leading the first clinical trial of such an inhibitor in stroke.

Nancy Rothwell has worked energetically to advance physiology and neuroscience, to further public awareness of science, and to encourage women to pursue careers in science.

Nancy Rothwell is an honorary member of the British Society for Immunology and honorary fellow of Somerville College, Oxford.

Nancy Rothwell has been a member of The Physiological Society since 1982 and was awarded the Physiological Society Annual Review Prize Lecture in 1998.

Nancy Rothwell was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Bath in 2009.

Nancy Rothwell was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Education by Manchester Metropolitan University in 2024.

The Manchester Engineering Campus Development and Engineering Building were renamed the Nancy Rothwell Building in 2024 to mark her retirement.