Over the past few months, we have seen some changes to the Board of the Health Research Authority (HRA).
On 31 January 2025, Richard Cooper reached the end of his term as a Non-Executive Director and Professor Sir Terence Stephenson stepped down from his role as our Chair.
We have also been holding a vacancy since Nicole Mather stepped down from the Board in 2023.
Our Non-Executive Directors play a vital role in the leadership and governance of the HRA, ensuring that our decision making processes are robust and protect the interests of patients and the public.
We are delighted to announce that three new Non-Executive Directors, Professor Alastair Denniston, Professor Marian Knight and Mark Buswell have joined our Board, alongside the appointment of Neelam Patel as our Interim Chair.
Alastair, Marian and Mark have been appointed for an initial three year term which will end in February 2028.
Neelam Patel
Neelam is currently a Non-Executive Director on our Board and will serve as Interim Chair whilst we recruit a permanent Chair.
She joined the HRA back in April 2021 and is currently serving in her second term with us having been re-appointed in 2023.
Neelam Patel, Interim Chair, Health Research AuthorityI am hugely excited to be working with Matt and his talented team as interim Chair. The next 12 months is an
important time for the HRA where we will be launching our new strategy, accelerating the development of future IRAS and see the launch of new Clinical Trials regulations.
Thanks to the commitment and hard work of the staff and volunteers, the HRA has made it easier to do trusted research in the UK while leading the way to boost meaningful public involvement and transparency.
I am excited to be welcoming three new Non-Executive Directors to the Board who will bring fresh perspectives and expertise.
Professor Alastair Denniston
Alastair is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. He is also a Professor of Regulatory Science and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, a Member of the UK Government’s Regulatory Horizons Council and Director of the UK’s Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI and Digital Health (CERSI-AI).
Professor Alastair Denniston, Non-Executive Director, Health Research AuthorityI am looking forward to serving on the Board of the HRA, and I am excited to bring my experience as an NHS clinician, as a researcher and as a patient.
As a clinician, I know how much we need research to create new tests, treatments and other services we can offer in the NHS and care system. As a researcher, I see first-hand how the HRA provides an efficient process that protects and promotes the interest of patients and the public. As a patient who has enrolled in clinical trials, I am grateful for the confidence that the HRA gives us, that research is trustworthy and conducted in an ethical manner.
I have particular experience in health and care research involving artificial intelligence and advanced digital health technologies, and I look forward to helping the HRA as we explore how to ensure that research in these areas.
Professor Marian Knight
Marian is a public health physician and Director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford where she leads research programmes on maternal and child health and care.
She is also the National Institute of Health and Care Research’s (NIHR) Scientific Director for Research Infrastructure, a Member of the NIHR Board, as well as the Programme Director for the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme.
Professor Marian Knight, Non-Executive Director, Health Research AuthorityIt is a particularly exciting time to join the HRA as a Non-Executive Director as it develops its new strategy, taking advantage of digital transformation to unify approvals processes and improve the timeliness of research.
As NIHR's Scientific Director for Research Infrastructure, I have oversight of the wide range of innovative research and new methodologies being developed by NIHR research teams, particularly using data-enabled and AI methodologies.
I applied for this role to help work with the Board to enable HRA processes to keep pace with these new and exciting research approaches.
Mark Buswell
Mark is currently working as an independent consultant and advisor focusing on technology and innovation within the pharmaceuticals and life sciences sector.
Prior to this, he spent over 20 years at GSK progressing from a Senior Process Engineer, to Head of Innovation and then Vice President Discovery, Development and Laboratory Systems and latterly, Vice President Vaccines Tech. He has previous experience as a Non-Executive Director for Glaxo Wellcome Manufacturing Ltd in Singapore.
Mark Buswell, Non-Executive Director, Health Research AuthorityI am really excited to be joining the HRA. Having spent my entire career in the UK life sciences research sector, the HRA’s vision for high-quality health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing very much resonates with me. The HRA plays a critical role in positioning the UK as a leading place to conduct cutting edge health and social care research.
My background in medicines research and development, and my experience leading digital transformations, will enable me to support the HRA to achieve its strategic goals. I am particularly excited to support the Research Systems programme and IRAS. This represents critical national infrastructure for the health and social care research and the HRA has a tremendous opportunity to future proof the UK as a leader in health research.
Welcoming our new Non-Executive Directors, Matt Westmore, Chief Executive at the Health Research Authority, said: "Our Non-Executive Directors bring vital independence, expertise and challenge to the HRA Board.
"I’m delighted to welcome Alastair, Marian, and Mark, whose experience in research, industry, regulation, artificial intelligence and digital transformation will be crucial in driving the HRA and UK research forward."
Alongside Alastair, Mark, Marian and Neelam’s appointments, Professor Andrew George’s term as a Non-Executive Director has also been extended, with Andrew taking up the role of Chair of our Audit and Risk Committee.
These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this Code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.