UEA appoints new Pro-Vice-Chancellor of medicine and health sciences
By: Communications
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has appointed a new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to drive forward the vital education of our next generation of health professionals and build on the exciting research opportunities created by the Norwich Research Park.
Prof Charles ffrench-Constant will begin his role in June, taking over from Prof Dylan Edwards who retires after 23 years at the University.
Prof ffrench-Constant, said: “The pandemic has shown the power of research and that educating our doctors, nurses and other health professionals is of upmost importance to ensuring the progression of science and medicine, and the function of our wonderful NHS. I am hugely looking forward to beginning this role at a University with an esteemed reputation for medicine and health science.”
Prof ffrench-Constant graduated in Medicine from the University of Cambridge in 1980 and his research has largely focused on finding therapies for Multiple Sclerosis.
He is committed to educating the next generation of health professionals and during his career has trained numerous students, 13 of whom now run their own labs in Europe and the USA.
He joins UEA from the University of Edinburgh where he established the Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre, progressing over the next 12 years to Directorships of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Edinburgh Neuroscience, the Wellcome Trust PhD programme in Translational Neuroscience and, until last month, Dean of Research for the College of Medicine.
Prof David Richardson, UEA’s Vice-Chancellor spoke of the appointment saying: “I am looking forward to welcoming Prof ffrench-Constant to the UEA community in an integral role working closely with the region’s NHS, research partners, funders and of course staff and students.
“My thanks go to Prof Edwards who has helped us maintain our fantastic teaching and research reputation over the years and more recently been key to our coronavirus response, including helping to set up the Norwich Testing Initiative with our partners at Norwich Research Park.”
Prof ffrench-Constant has lived in Norwich for over 20 years and enjoys sailing, walks with his Norwich Terrier, and is a season ticket holder at Norwich City Football Club.
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