SUMMER 2021 MRC Investigators and Directors Directory of research programmes at MRC Institutes and Units Foreword I am delighted to introduce you to the exceptional To support the MRC Investigators and Directors researchers at our MRC Institutes and Units – the in advancing medical research, MRC provides MRC Investigators and their Directors. core funding to the MRC Institutes and University Units where they carry out their work. These In November 2020, MRC established the new title establishments cover a huge breadth of medical of “MRC Investigator” for Programme Leaders (PL) research from molecular biology to public health. and Programme Leader Track (PLT) researchers at As you will see from the directory, the MRC MRC Institutes and Units. These individuals are Investigators and Directors are making considerable world-class scientists who are either strong leaders advances in their respective fields through their in their field already (PLs) or are making great innovative and exciting research programmes. Their strides towards that goal (PLTs). Based on what accomplishments have been recognised beyond they have achieved in their research careers so far, MRC and many have been awarded notable prizes the title will no doubt become synonymous with and elected to learned societies and organisations. scientific accomplishment, impact and integrity. As well as being widely recognised within the MRC endeavours to do everything it can to support scientific and academic communities, the well- its researchers at all career stages. For this reason, established and newer title of “Director” and we chose not to distinguish between levels of “MRC Investigator”, respectively, are a signal seniority within the new title. We believe this will be to the public of the expert-level status of these an advantage to junior leaders on the Programme individuals. The values and mission of MRC include Leader Track. Having been in their position earlier in disseminating knowledge and promoting dialogue my career, I appreciate the need for a researcher’s with the public about medical research and their CV to stand out amongst the numerous applications affiliation with MRC should bestow confidence and that funders and employers receive. trust in the information our MRC Investigators and Directors provide. The MRC Institute and Unit Directors are outstanding and experienced scientists. As well as I hope that all who read and use this directory leading their own research programmes, they also will enjoy finding out about the brilliant researchers ensure that their Institute or Unit it is achieving we fund at our MRC Institutes and Units. I encourage its mission by recruiting and developing excellent you to connect with them to collaborate and researchers with specialist and transferable skills discover more. that can be applied to carrying out ground-breaking medical research at their establishment. Professor Fiona Watt Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council MRC Units and Institutes The MRC has a mission to support research and Institutes training with the aim of maintaining and improving human health. To address important scientific Institutes adopt broad multidisciplinary opportunities and health needs, we support mission- approaches to address major challenges in focused Institutes*, Units and Centres. These health-related research often requiring ground establishments carry out ground-breaking research breaking methodology and including innovative methodology and technology technology development. development. They are provided with sustained support and Institutes – very long-term flexible multidisciplinary state-of-the-art facilities over a long period of investments time. This allows the use of highly innovative and risky approaches across a flexible range Units – more focused investments established for of disciplines, that would not be feasible in a as long as needed to support a scientific need and/ university setting, to tackle crucially important or deliver a research vision and complex issues over long periods of time. Both are mission-focused and carry out ground- Institutes attract and develop outstanding breaking research including innovative methodology students and early career scientists from the UK, and technology development. Developing and internationally, providing in-depth, advanced strategically driven initiatives, led by an expert research training and a broad multidisciplinary scientific Director, can help promote novel, high risk research environment. approaches, cooperative research programmes, or the development of shared infrastructure. Units Units are set up to meet specific needs, for They are all expected to recruit and, in partnership example, to provide scientific leadership in key with the HEIs and other organisations, develop research fields, or to tackle important research outstanding researchers with specialist and questions where the need cannot easily be transferable skills for academic research, the health addressed through grant funding. This can be services and the national economy. They work in because the research area calls for: partnerships to ensure maximal knowledge transfer for health benefit. Strong and distinctive scientific leadership Close coordination across disciplines In any field, the need for these support mechanisms and activities will change over time. Successful research progress may mean that approaches are quickly integrated Development of methods and technologies into HEI research in the area, or that a unit or centre Support for the development of novel or higher has to change its form and direction. risk programmes and capabilities. Units attract and develop outstanding students and early career programme leaders from the UK and internationally and often have a major impact through developing future research *This booklet features researchers from our Institutes that are solely funded by MRC and does not include leaders in their specialist areas. our partnership Institutes: Health Data Research UK, The Francis Crick Institute and UK Dementia Research Institute. These are major MRC investments and strategic partnerships but as independent organisations that are co-funded by other funding bodies, with their own identity and branding, the MRC Investigator title is not applicable. Contents MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Division Dr Buzz Baum 12 Dr Simon Bullock 12 Dr Emmanuel Derivery 13 Dr Ramanujan Hegde 13 Dr Madeline Lancaster 14 Dr Kate McDole 14 Dr Elizabeth Miller 15 Dr Sean Munro 15 Dr John Stuart O’Neill 16 Dr Katja Röper 16 Dr Marta Shahbazi Alonso 17 Neurobiology Division Dr Alexandru Radu Aricescu 17 Dr Anne Bertolotti 18 Dr Albert Cardona 18 Dr Benjamin Falcon 19 Dr Michel Goedert 19 Dr Ingo Greger 20 Dr Michael Hastings 20 Dr Gregory Jefferis 21 Dr Harvey McMahon 21 Dr Jing Ren 22 Dr William Schafer 22 Dr Rebecca Taylor 23 Dr Marco Tripodi 23 Dr Marta Zlatic 24 Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Division Dr Mariann Bienz 24 Dr Gerard Crossan 25 Dr Philipp Holliger 25 Dr Leo James 26 Dr Patrycja Kozik 26 Dr Andrew McKenzie 27 Dr Felix Randow 27 Dr Julian Sale 28 Dr John Sutherland 28 Dr Ana Tufegdzic Vidakovic 29 Dr Roger Williams 29 Dr Joseph Yeeles 30 MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology cont Structural Studies Division Professor David Barford 30 Dr John Briggs 31 Dr Andrew Carter 31 Professor Julian Gough 32 Dr Richard Henderson 32 Dr Jan Löwe (Director) 33 Dr Garib Murshudov 33 Dr Kelly Nguyen 34 Dr Lori Passmore 34 Dr Venki Ramakrishnan 35 Dr Christopher Russo 35 Dr Sjors Scheres 36 Dr Chris Tate 36 MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences Epigenetics Section Professor Luis Aragón 37 Dr Alexis Barr 37 Professor Dame Amanda Fisher 38 Professor Jesús Gil 38 Professor Petra Hajkova (Interim Director) 39 Dr Harry Leitch 39 Professor Boris Lenhard 40 Dr Enrique Martinez-Perez 40 Professor Matthias Merkenschlager 41 Dr Michelle Percharde 41 Professor David Rueda 42 Dr Peter Sarkies 42 Dr Karen Sarkisyan 43 Dr Mikhail Spivakov 43 Professor Juan Vaquerizas 44 Dr Tobias Warnecke 44 Genes and Metabolism Section Dr André Brown 45 Dr Filipe Cabreiro 45 Professor David Carling 46 Dr Helena Cochemé 46 Professor Stuart Cook 47 Dr Louise Fets 47 Dr Susumu Hirabayashi 48 Professor Irene Miguel-Aliaga 48 Professor Declan O’Regan 49 Dr Chris Schiering 49 Dr Santiago Vernia 50 Dr James Ware 50 Professor Dominic Withers 51 MRC Biostatistics Unit Dr Jessica Barrett 52 Dr Stephen Burgess 52 Professor Daniela De Angelis 53 Professor Thomas Jaki 53 Dr Paul Kirk 54 Professor Sylvia Richardson (Director) 54 Dr Oscar Rueda 55 Dr Brian Tom 55 Dr Sofia Villar 56 Dr Chris Wallace 56 MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit Professor Rafal Bogacz 57 Professor Timothy Denison 57 Professor David Dupret 58 Professor Peter Magill (Interim Director) 58 Dr Andrew Sharott 59 Professor Huiling Tan 59 MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL Professor James Carpenter 60 Dr Angela Crook 60 Professor Diana Gibb 61 Professor Ruth Langley 61 Professor Max Parmar (Director) 62 Professor Sarah Pett 62 Professor Matthew Sydes 63 Professor Jayne Tierney 63 Professor Ann Sarah Walker 64 Professor Ian White 64 MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit Professor Michael Anderson 65 Dr Duncan Astle 65 Dr Kate Baker 66 Dr Robert Carlyon 66 Dr Tim Dalgleish 67 Dr Matt Davis 67 Professor John Duncan 68 Professor Richard Henson 68 Professor Matthew Lambon-Ralph (Director) 69 Dr Tom Manly 69 Dr Dennis Norris 70 Professor James Rowe 70 Dr Alexandra Woolgar 71 MRC Epidemiology Unit Dr Jean Adams 72 Dr Soren Brage 72