How MRC is governed

Find out more about our councils, boards and groups.

MRC council

The MRC council is responsible both for advising the MRC executive chair and making decisions, as delegated to it by the UKRI board, on scientific, research and innovation matters.

Read more about the MRC council.

MRC legacy council

The MRC legacy council remains a legal entity for the purpose of transferring assets to UKRI.

Find out more about the MRC legacy council.

MRC Executive Chair and Senior Executive Team

The Senior Executive Team has delegated responsibility from the Executive Chair to act as MRC’s principal executive decision-making body and to undertake day-to-day management of MRC activities.

Read the terms of reference and see members of the Senior Executive Team.

Advisory structure and partnerships

Task and finish groups

MRC creates time-limited task and finish groups that give strategic advice to the Senior Executive Team and MRC Council.

The groups bring in external expertise to advise on priority areas and future investment.

Office for strategic coordination of health research (OSCHR)

The independent OSCHR brings together public health research funders and stakeholders to improve coordination of health research.

As a member of OSCHR, the MRC Executive Chair has insight and influence into health research policy co-ordination and foresight.

Find out more about the OSCHR.

Last updated: 6 March 2026

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