Gratitude and recognition from the Institute’s community as Professor Dame Melanie Welham steps down as BBSRC Executive Chair

Key points:

• The Institute expresses its gratitude and appreciation of Professor Dame Melanie Welham as she steps down as the Executive Chair of BBSRC.
• Professor Welham was recently made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her services to bioscience.
• Professor Guy Poppy has been appointed Interim Executive Chair from 1^st July and Dr Amanda Collis will take on the role of interim BBSRC Deputy Executive Chair.

The Institute would like to express grateful thanks to Professor Dame Melanie Welham as she steps down after five years as the Executive Chair of BBSRC and also congratulations following her DBE in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours for services to bioscience.

Dr Simon Cook, Director of the Babraham Institute, said: “Melanie is a highly-respected scientist who has led the BBSRC with distinction over the last seven years. Her strong support of the Babraham Institute is appreciated on so many levels. Not only has this enabled us to sustain our position as a leader in healthy ageing research, but her personal strengths as an empathic leader were particular valued as the Institute recovered from the sad loss of our previous director Michael Wakelam. Her enthusiasm for the Institute’s research, which overlaps with her own specialism, and our shared commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity, created a fertile ground for stimulating discussions. We wish her the very best of luck for the future and speaking personally, I also offer her my thanks and best wishes.”

Dr Cook’s well wishes were echoed by the Chair of the Institute’s Board of Trustees, Professor Peter Rigby FRS who said: “I am delighted to see Melanie rightly recognised for her outstanding service to UK bioscience in the King’s Birthday Honours list. Melanie is a key figure in UK bioscience, both in her role leading BBSRC and as UKRI’s champion for people, culture and talent. Warmest congratulations to Melanie on this well-deserved award and on her future endeavours.”

Professor Welham has been the Executive Chair of BBSRC since 2018, and prior to this served two years as Interim Executive Chair for the BBSRC. She joined the BBSRC in 2012 as Director of Science. Before joining the BBSRC, Melanie was a leading researcher in molecular signalling and stem cell science at University of Bath.

In a UKRI announcement, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), applauded Professor Welham’s exceptional leadership, and said: “Melanie’s depth of understanding of the requirements and demands of catalysing, convening and delivering world-class research and innovation have enabled BBSRC and the wider bioscience community to thrive. Beyond that, her preeminent leadership as UKRI’s champion for people, culture and talent has been truly transformative in improving research culture across the UK. I am deeply grateful for Melanie’s work, and I wish her every success in the future.”

Notes:

Press contact

Dr Louisa Wood, Head of Communications, louisa.wood@babraham.ac.uk

Image description

Professor Dame Melanie Welham portrait (left; credit: BBSRC) and also photographed at Babraham Institute events: commemorating Professor Michael Wakelam (shown with Director, Dr Simon Cook) in November 2022 (top right) and speaking at a BBSRC partnering event at the Institute in August 2018 (bottom right).