Colin Blakemore, a neuroscientist who currently heads the MRC Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience at Oxford University, has been named as the new chief executive of the Medical Research Council.
The appointment, announced yesterday (May 12) by Science Minister Lord Sainsbury, ends months of speculation about who would succeed Sir George Radda when he completes his four-year tenure as chief executive. Blakemore will take up his position on October 1 this year, and will receive an annual salary of £110,000, plus potential performance-related annual bonuses of up to 20%.
Blakemore studied medical sciences at Cambridge University and completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds Doctor of Science degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge. His research has mainly focused on vision and the early development of the brain, but he has also won acclaim for his work in raising the profile of science. Now chairman, formerly...