Two new governors appointed to Wellcome board

Wellcome has made two new additions to its board this month, delivering additional expertise in nanoscience and machine learning to its governance body.  

  

Professor Dame Molly Stevens is John Black Professor of Bionanoscience as well as Deputy Director of the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at the University of Oxford. 

  

She is also part-time Professor of Biomedical Materials and Regenerative Medicine at both Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London. 

                   

As well as being a widely respected science communicator, Professor Dame Stevens is a Fellow of eight UK societies and has earned more than 40 honours and awards across her career so far. 

  

Dr Jean-Philippe Vert is co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, the AI-powered biomedical drug discovery platform working to refine a universal World Model of Biology. 

 

He is also Professor (on leave) at PSL University, Paris, and Adjunct Professor at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. He served as Chief Science Officer at Owkin, the AI biotech unicorn and for four years was Research Lead at Google Brain, the company’s dedicated machine learning research arm.  

 

 

Professor Stevens said: 

“There are huge opportunities emerging from the way different fields are coming together, and I’m particularly interested in how we can turn that creativity and discovery into things that genuinely improve people’s lives across the world. One of the many things that I find exciting about Wellcome is that it has the scale and independence to take a long view, while staying focused on some of the most important challenges in human health.” 

 

“Wellcome is one of the pillars leading science-driven progress in health for all, in the middle of what is a challenging environment. Geopolitical changes that impact international collaborations, erosion of trust in science in many societies and opportunities with AI have made me believe there is urgency to act and I’m joining the Wellcome board to bring my little contribution. I'm particularly excited by the mission to make sure that the expected progress triggered by AI does not only benefit the happy few.” 

  

Julia Gillard, Chair of Wellcome, said: 

“JP and Molly both operate at the cutting edge of life science and they’re going to bring real insight and guidance to the work of Wellcome. It’s important that we have the brightest and best as Governors and they both fit that bill. It is a privilege to be joined by such talented individuals who are keen to shape and support Wellcome’s work. My thanks to everyone who applied for these vacancies.” 

  

Departing the board at the end of January 2027 will be Stephen Lovegrove. Stephen steps down as a governor after three years, with the thanks and gratitude of Wellcome.  

  

Julia Gillard said: 

“Stephen’s contribution during his time on the board has allowed us to think more broadly about Wellcome’s role in the wider world. His experience as National Security Advisor helped us better contextualise the role life sciences have to play in global security, and his leadership of our Audit and Risk Committee has been greatly appreciated. I’d like to thank him publicly for the time and expertise he has given us.” 

  

Notes to editors 

  

Dr Vert and Professor Stevens will start work as Wellcome governors on 23 October. 

  

The two new Board roles were advertised earlier this year, with Fiona Powrie, the deputy chair of Wellcome’s Board of Governors, leading the appointment process.  

  

About Wellcome   

 

Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.