Nancy Rothwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Nancy Rothwell
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Nancy Rothwell in academic dress for a graduation ceremony for the Department of Mathematics at the University of Manchester in 2015
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| President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester | |
| In office 21 June 2010 – 31 July 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Alan Gilbert |
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| Born |
Nancy Jane Rothwell
2 October 1955 Tarleton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
| Education | Penwortham Girls' Grammar School |
| Alma mater | University of London (BSc, PhD, DSc) |
| Salary | £260,000 (2021–22) |
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| Known for | President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester Nancy Rothwell Building |
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| Thesis | Physiological mechanisms involved in the regulation of energy balance (1979) |
| Doctoral advisor | Mike J. Stock |
Dame Nancy Jane Rothwell (born 2 October 1955) is a British physiologist. A physiologist studies how living things work. She was the president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester from 2010 to 2024. This means she was in charge of the whole university.
Before leading the university, Dame Nancy was a director at the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. She also helped lead the Council for Science and Technology. This group advises the government on science. She was also the past President of the Royal Society of Biology.
She was a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester. This is a special role that supports the King's representative. From 2020 to 2023, she led the Russell Group. This group includes 24 top research universities in the UK.
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Early Life and Education
Nancy Rothwell was born in Tarleton, a village in Lancashire, England. She went to Penwortham Girls' Grammar School. There, she studied maths, physics, chemistry, and art. She decided not to study biology at age 14.
Later, she went to the University of London. She earned a top degree in physiology in 1976. In 1979, she received her PhD from Queen Elizabeth College. This college is now part of King's College, London. She earned another science degree (DSc) in 1987.
Career and Research Discoveries
Dame Nancy's early research looked at how our bodies manage energy. She studied obesity (being very overweight) and cachexia (extreme weight loss). In 1984, she received a special research award. She also got many grants for her work.
She became a professor of physiology in 1994. In 1998, she became a research professor. Her recent work focuses on how inflammation affects brain diseases. Inflammation is when your body's immune system reacts to injury or infection. She found that a protein called interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a role in brain injury.
Her team studied how IL-1 is released and how it works. They even did the first early study of an IL-1 blocker for strokes. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. She also led the British Neuroscience Association.
From 2004, Dame Nancy was the vice-president for research at the University of Manchester. In 2010, she led a team of about 20 scientists. She was chosen to become the new president and vice-chancellor of the university. She also served as a trustee for Cancer Research UK. In 1998, she gave the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. These lectures are for young people and were shown on the BBC.
Leading the University of Manchester
In January 2010, Dame Nancy became the deputy president of the university. She took over as acting president when the previous leader, Alan Gilbert, was ill. On 21 June 2010, she was officially named president and vice-chancellor. She started her new role on 1 July 2010.
She was the first woman to lead the University of Manchester. When she was appointed, she said she was "honoured and delighted." She wanted to keep the university focused on its goals. She also aimed to find new opportunities in a changing world.
The head of the selection committee, Anil Ruia, praised her. He said she would bring new strengths and ideas to the role. In 2009, Dame Nancy was the first president of the Royal Society of Biology.
In May 2020, she became the chair of the Russell Group. This group represents 24 of the top universities in the UK. She stepped down from her role as President and Vice-chancellor of the University in July 2024. She was succeeded by Duncan Ivison.
University's Response to the Pandemic
In April 2020, Dame Nancy wrote to university staff. She warned that the pandemic might cause pay cuts and job losses. In September 2020, she told students to follow social distancing rules. She said they could be removed from campus if they did not.
During the autumn of 2020, the university faced criticism. Students protested how the university handled the pandemic. In September 2020, university officials said they had taken steps like staggered arrivals. However, some staff felt pressured to teach in person. In October 2020, the Fallowfield area, where many students live, had many COVID-19 cases.
In November 2020, fences were put up around student housing. Dame Nancy launched an investigation and apologized for "very poor communication." Soon after, students started a rent strike. They also occupied a campus building. They wanted to discuss a rent discount. Dame Nancy admitted the university had made "mistakes." She said some students felt "let down." An inquiry in December 2020 found problems with planning and student communication. Dame Nancy accepted the findings and promised to make changes.
Also in November 2020, there was an incident involving a Black student and university security guards. Anti-racist groups asked Dame Nancy to resign. A union official said she should apologize to the student. In an interview on Newsnight, Dame Nancy said she had contacted the student to apologize. She later apologized again for saying she had contacted the student when she had not yet.
In February 2021, the University of Manchester Students' Union held a vote. Students voted to show they had no confidence in Dame Nancy. This was the first time such a vote happened at the university. The vote passed with 89 percent support. However, this vote was not legally binding. A university spokesperson said they still had "full confidence" in Dame Nancy.
Awards and Special Recognitions
In February 2013, Dame Nancy was named the 15th most powerful woman in the UK. This was by a BBC Radio 4 show called Woman's Hour. In May 2013, she was featured on BBC Radio 4's The Life Scientific. She talked about her life and work.
She received the title Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2005. This is a high honor from the British Crown. She became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2004. This is a very important scientific award. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB) and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). In 2003, she won the Pfizer award from the Royal Society.
Her nomination for the Royal Society praised her discoveries. It mentioned her work on energy balance and brain diseases. It noted her finding that IL-1 causes brain damage from strokes. She even patented using IL-1 blockers to prevent brain damage. She also worked hard to promote physiology and neuroscience. She helped the public learn about science. She also encouraged women to pursue science careers.
She is an honorary member of the British Society for Immunology. She is also an honorary fellow of Somerville College, Oxford. She has been a member of The Physiological Society since 1982. She received their Annual Review Prize Lecture in 1998.
Dame Nancy received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Bath in 2009. In 2024, she received an honorary Doctor of Education degree from Manchester Metropolitan University.
To celebrate the University of Manchester's 200th anniversary, portraits of Dame Nancy were made. One was shown at The Whitworth art gallery. The university's new engineering building was renamed the Nancy Rothwell Building in 2024. This was to mark her retirement.
