Two new governors appointed to Wellcome’s Board
Professor Dame Molly Stevens and Dr Jean-Philippe Vert bring expertise spanning nanoscience, biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence and drug discovery.
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Photo credit (right): David Vintiner
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Wellcome has appointed Professor Dame Molly Stevens and Dr Jean-Philippe Vert to its Board of Governors.
The Board oversees Wellcome’s work and provides support and challenge to its executive team. The new appointments will bring further scientific and technological expertise to the Board as Wellcome works towards a healthier future for everyone. The roles were advertised earlier this year, with Fiona Powrie, the deputy chair of Wellcome’s Board of Governors, leading the appointment process.
Two additions to the board
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.
Professor Dame Molly 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.”
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.
Dr Jean-Philippe Vert said:
“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.”
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.
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Stephen Lovegrove to step down
Stephen Lovegrove will step down from Wellcome’s Board of Governors at the end of January 2027, after three years as a governor and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Stephen Lovegrove will step down from Wellcome’s Board of Governors at the end of January 2027, after three years as a governor and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
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, while his general strategic abilities have been invaluable as we have continued to sharpen our focus on delivery of the mission. I’d like to thank him publicly for the time and expertise he has given us.”
Stephen Lovegrove said:
“It has been a privilege to sit on Wellcome’s Board of Governors and chair its Audit and Risk Committee. Wellcome’s distinct position as a global philanthropy operating at the intersection of science, health and society have made it a fascinating and inspiring three years of service. I have decided that now is the right time to step down due to other commitments, but I am looking forward to continuing to follow Wellcome’s journey as it seeks to fulfil its vision of a healthier future for everyone.”
Wellcome will begin recruiting a replacement for Steven Lovegrove shortly.
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