BBSRC Executive Chair
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith is Executive Chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Anne started this role on 1 July 2024.
Before this appointment she served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and International Partnerships at the University of Cambridge.
A renowned mammalian developmental geneticist, genome biologist and epigeneticist, Professor Ferguson-Smith is the Arthur Balfour Professor of Genetics in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Genetics. She is also a Fellow of Darwin College.
At the University of Cambridge, Professor Ferguson-Smith leads a research group comprised of experimental and computational scientists. They focus on the epigenetic control of genome function, particularly the implications of epigenetic inheritance for health and disease.
Committed to the training and professional development of new talent, her team’s current work utilises experimental, computational and bioinformatic approaches to tackle contemporary questions in mammalian functional genomics and epigenetics. This includes investigating how genetic and environmental factors influence cellular and developmental processes.
Anne’s research contributions have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours. She received the Buchanan Medal from the Royal Society in 2021 for her pioneering work in epigenetics. In 2023, she was named Commander of the British Empire for her research contributions.
In 2017 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the highest honours a scientist in the UK can achieve.
Beyond research and teaching, Professor Ferguson-Smith has made significant professional contributions. She has served as President of the UK Genetics Society since 2021 and holds editorial positions in leading scientific journals. Her leadership and expertise are recognised internationally through her roles as Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technical University in Singapore and as a board member for various scientific review, advisory and trustee boards.
Last updated: 5 August 2024