University of Birmingham quartet recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

Four people associated with the University of Birmingham have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. Professor Rachel K. O’Reilly, the University of Birmingham’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), has been awarded an MBE for Services to Chemistry, and Professor in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain, Fang Gao, has been awarded an OBE for Services for Anaesthesia.

Former laboratory manager at the Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, Aruna Mistry has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to education, while Bridget Eickhoff, Honorary Professor of Railway Interface Engineering received an MBE for services to railway engineering.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “I am delighted that Rachel, Fang, Aruna and Bridget have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, which they fully deserve. They are exceptional individuals, whose passion for the quality, value and importance of education and research is inspiring.”

A Fellow of the Royal Society and Professor of Polymer Chemistry, Professor O’Reilly became PVC (Research) in 2023 and is responsible for developing and implementing the university's research strategy and fostering a strong research culture. She completed a PhD at Imperial College London and worked in the US and at the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick, before joining the University of Birmingham in 2018 as Head of the School of Chemistry.

In Professor O’Reilly’s first year as PVC (Research), research awards exceeded £250 million, and the University rose to 31 in the QS World University Rankings International Research Network indicator, a measure of the global scope and distribution of international research partnerships.

Professor O’Reilly said: “I am so proud to receive this honour, joining a long list of colleagues from the University to have had their achievements recognised in this way. This is a testament to the many collaborators and colleagues with whom I have worked.”

During her career, Professor O’Reilly has led a group undertaking research in the fields of catalysis, responsive polymers and DNA nanomaterials. She has published more than 250 papers – including one in Nature Synthesis in March – and has received awards, notably the American Chemical Society Mark Young Polymer Scientist award and the RSC Corday-Morgan Prize. Professor O’Reilly is a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences.

Professor Gao graduated from Beijing University with a degree in Medicine and Surgery. She trained at the University Hospital of Wales, the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital and Royal Brompton Hospital. She is an Honorary Consultant in anaesthesia, critical and perioperative care at the University Hospitals of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

A leading researcher in critical and perioperative care focusing on clinical effectiveness and influencing policy to improve patient care, Professor Gao’s work led to national and international guidelines for when it is safe to discharge day surgery patients. Her clinical trials won the 2016 Trials and Evaluation Award, Academic Health Science Network WM, and contributed to international guidelines in the treatment of sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Professor Gao demonstrates leadership in her discipline and a passion for mentoring the next generation of clinicians and researchers, several of whom have gone on to senior clinical and academic positions nationally and internationally.

In 2021, Professor Gao was awarded the Dudley Buxton Medal by the Royal College of Anaesthetists for her work in anaesthesia and critical care. In 2024, she was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the first female anaesthetist with FMedSci recognised for outstanding contribution to UK biomedical and health research.