University of Surrey - Prof Paul Townsend | Appointed Governors

I am honoured to be a Governor for the RSCH NHS Foundation Trust. I am Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (FHMS) at the University of Surrey (UoS) where I am also a fully tenured Principal Investigator.  This faculty is a large research, teaching and innovation focussed academic community. My research group investigates the role of cell survival pathways with a focus on novel therapeutic intervention and biomarker characterisation. Across the University and wider community, I am the lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Transformation and am continually inspired to scale industry-academic and innovation.

Prior to being in Surrey  I was Industry and Innovation lead for the Manchester NIHR-funded Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre and MRC-funded Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre. I was the Manchester Academic Lead for Singapore and SE Asia and continue to promote global research partnerships at Surrey.

After reading for my doctorate at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK) in London (1997), I undertook post-doctoral research at Imperial College London, Southampton and University College London with research spells in Michigan and Frankfurt. At Surrey I am leading on a transformational change in applied biomedical research focus and innovation, engendering a culture of multiple stakeholders including the NHS, academics, industry, funding agencies, the public and patients. This entrepreneurial and innovation approach continues at pace leading to the founding of UoS Health Partners, and excitingly establishing a new medical programme and subsequent school. I am particularly proud of how I engender an inclusive and broad academic community. I have a 14year old son who I am incredibly proud and live with my wonderful partner Sarah.

Contact Paul: paul.townsend5@nhs.net