The MRC has announced that Birmingham鈥檚 Professor Jo Morris will become the new Chair of the MRC Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board (MCMB).
Professor Jo Morris will Chair the MRC MCMB, which is responsible for investigator-led grants, strategic investments and partnerships that aim to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning complex biological function in human health and disease. It also supports early knowledge translation towards new diagnosis and treatment for disorders and diseases and for changes to policy and practice.
Professor Morris has been the Deputy Chair of the MCMB since April 2023, supporting the previous Chair, Professor Maddy Parsons (King鈥檚 College London).
I am delighted and deeply honoured to be appointed Chair of the MRC Molecular & Cellular Medicine Board. The position offers an incredible opportunity to help shape future investments and to keep cutting-edge biomedical research at the forefront of the MRC鈥檚 strategic priorities.
Professor Morris said: "I am thrilled to contribute to the ongoing support and development of world-class fundamental biomedical research, ensuring its continued prominence within the MRC portfolio. By championing discovery science, we can drive innovation and translate scientific breakthroughs into tangible health benefits for society.
As Chair, I look forward to working collaboratively with researchers, the MRC team and partners to further strengthen the UK鈥檚 biomedical research landscape, supporting ground-breaking science that will shape the future of healthcare.鈥
Professor Morris is a Professor of Molecular Genetics in the Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the University 麻豆精选. In her research, she is interested in the way our cells maintain and repair our genome, keeping our DNA intact.
A particular interest is the functions of the breast and ovarian cancer predisposition protein BRCA1 and the way it works in controlling DNA resection and DNA replication. She also works on the small modifier proteins, ubiquitin and SUMO and is interested in how these change the way that proteins behave in order to aid DNA repair and DNA replication.
She has published research papers in scientific journals as well as reviews and book chapters in the fields of breast cancer genetics, the cellular response to DNA damage and small modifier biology of ubiquitin and SUMO. She has also been awarded research grants from the Wellcome Trust, MRC, EU, Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK.
Professor of Molecular Genetics
Staff profile for Professor Jo Morris, Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University 麻豆精选.
