David Latchman

Professor David Latchman, CBE, is a distinguished academic leader and researcher in molecular biology, currently serving as a College Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. Previously, he held the role of Vice Chancellor at Birkbeck (2003–2023), steering the institution to global top 150 rankings and securing significant government reforms for part-time education. A Professor of Molecular Pathology at UCL, he pioneered work on gene regulation mechanisms, publishing extensively in Cell, Nature, and authored landmark textbooks like Gene Regulation (5^th ed.).

• Education: PhD (1978–1981) in Molecular Genetics at Queens’ College, Cambridge, supervised by Nobel laureate Martin Evans.
• Leadership Roles: Founded UCL’s Molecular Pathology Department, directed the Windeyer Institute, and revitalized Birkbeck’s academic strategy.

His research interests span gene regulation in eukaryotes, medical genetics, and the application of molecular insights to therapy. He advocates for lifelong learning, securing £25M in grants and founding a gene therapy company acquired by Amgen. Beyond academia, he chairs the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation and is a leading authority on Anglo-Jewry, amassing a world-class collection of Judaica.

• Awards: CBE (2010), Queen’s Anniversary Prize, and honorary fellowships.
• Philosophy: A ‘clean desk’ advocate with a no-nonsense leadership style, emphasizing collaboration and intellectual rigor.