MRC major investments board

Chaired by the Medical Research Council (MRC) executive chair, the major investments board brings together the chairs of MRC’s research boards, representatives from MRC executive board (formerly known as management board), MRC Council and independent members to provide horizon-scanning, review, and oversight of MRC’s major investments portfolio.

Reporting to MRC Council, the role of the major investments board is:

  • to horizon-scan and identify areas of opportunity for new strategic investments, whether through MRC alone or in partnership
  • to command a budget, as determined by MRC Council, to be able to manage the MRC major investment portfolio including institutes, units, and strategic grant awards, where these operate at the national level and with an expectancy of funding for 10 years plus
  • to agree key performance indicators and monitor progress of MRC’s major investments
  • to review proposals and make recommendations to MRC Council on the opening, closure, or renewed funding of MRC major investments
  • to consider networking and outreach opportunities to maximise the value and impact of MRC major investments

See the major investments board conflicts of interest register.

Membership

The major investments board members are:

  • Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair, MRC (Chair)
  • Dr Robin Buckle, Chief Science Officer, MRC
  • Professor Wendy Barclay, Infections and Immunity Board Chair, Imperial College London
  • Professor Maddy Parsons, Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board Chair, King’s College London
  • Professor Paul Matthews, Neurosciences and Mental Health Board Chair, Imperial College London
  • Professor Brian Walker, Population and Systems Medicine Board Chair, Newcastle University
  • Professor Graham Hart, Applied Global Health Research Board Chair, University College London
  • Professor Ruth Plummer, Experimental Medicine Panel Chair, Newcastle University
  • Professor Jill Pell, MRC Council Member, University of Glasgow
  • Dr Pauline Williams, Independent
  • Professor Sadaf Farooqi, University of Cambridge
  • Professor Matthew Freeman, University of Oxford
  • Professor Janet Lord, University of Birmingham
  • Professor Aziz Sheikh, The University of Edinburgh

Meeting dates 2024

The major investments board is meeting in 2024 on the following dates:

  • 19 March
  • 15 July
  • 14 to 15 October

Contact

If you have questions regarding the major investments board, please contact:

Email: mib@mrc.ukri.org

Last updated: 27 October 2023

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