Government adviser to deliver prestigious lecture at University of Leicester

One of the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers is to give a free public lecture at the University of Leicester focusing on Research in the NHS.

Professor Dame Sally Davies is the Director General (DG) of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Health and the NHS.

She will deliver the Frank May Lecture at the University of Leicester on Monday 15 March at 5.30pm. The lecture will be held in The Frank and Katherine May Lecture Theatre, Henry Wellcome Building, Lancaster Road, Leicester.

Attendance is free but by ticket only – contact Anna Harding T: 0116 252 2974 or email aijh1@le.ac.uk

Professor David Wynford-Thomas, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the University’s College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology said: “We are eagerly anticipating Professor Dame Sally Davies’ lecture on Research in the NHS. Our College has world-class biomedical research, a significant amount is funded by the National Institute of Health Research such as our Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Collaboration for Applied Health Research and Social Care and our Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit. We look forward to hearing Dame Sally’s vision for enhancing research in clinical environments.”

As DG, Dame Sally developed the new government research strategy, Best Research for Best Health with a budget rising to £1billion, and is now responsible for embedding the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). She also chairs the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) and is a member of the Board of the Office of Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR) and of the Medical Research Council. She was a member of the steering group for the Biotechnology Innovation and Growth Team, chaired by Sir David Cooksey and its “Refresh”, the Health Care Industry Task Force and is a member of the UK Health Innovation Council. She is a member of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Health Research (ACHR) and chaired the Expert Advisory Committee for the development of the WHO research strategy, submitted as a resolution to the World Health Assembly 2009. She is a member of the International Advisory Committee for A*STAR, Singapore and the Caribbean Health Research Council and advises many others on research strategy and evaluation including the Australian NHMRC.

The Frank May Clinical Sciences Lecture was established in 1991, endowed by the generosity of Dr Frank May and is delivered normally biennially by a national or international figure in the field of medicine.

Dr Frank May is a retired Leicester businessman who has devoted 60 years to public service. Dr May’s association with the University of Leicester dates back to 1982 and he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Leicester in 1992, an MBE in 1994 and the Freedom of the City of Leicester in 2001. In 2005 he was awarded an Honorary Distinguished Fellowship by the University- the highest distinction from the University.