In January 2020, Dr Neil Hotchin will become Head of the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham. Neil is currently Director of Postgraduate Research at the University.
Announcing the appointment Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Life and Environmental Sciences Professor Laura Green OBE, said: “Neil has already contributed significantly to leadership within the School, College and University and with 23 years’ service at Birmingham he fully understands the institution and the operating environment. Building on the strong foundations the School of Biosciences has already laid, I am confident that under Neil’s leadership it will deliver its ambitious strategy for research and teaching.”
Accepting the post, Dr Hotchin said: “The University of Birmingham is at the forefront of Biosciences both in terms of teaching and research. I am delighted to take on this role within the College, and look forward to working with colleagues on developing the next generation of bioscientists, and widening our cutting-edge research.”
Neil completed a PhD in Virology at the University of London in 1990 followed by postdoctoral research fellowships at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology at University College London. Neil moved to the University of Birmingham in 1996 to take up a Lectureship in Molecular Cell Biology in the then School of Biochemistry shortly before its merger with Biological Sciences to form the School of Biosciences. Neil has been Deputy Head of School since October 2018.
Neil’s research focuses on understanding how cells interact with each other and with their immediate environment and in particular he is interested in how those interactions regulate normal function of human skin.
Neil has a long-standing interest in the wellbeing and professional development of the University postgraduate research community and this has included serving as Deputy Director of Graduate Studies for the University between 2016 and 2018 before his appointment as Director of Postgraduate Research in 2018.