Julia Clare Buckingham (born 18 October 1950) is a British

pharmacologist Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemic ...

, academic and

academic administrator Academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities. Some t ...

. She is the former Vice Chancellor of

Brunel University London Brunel University London is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In June 1 ...

, UK.

Early life

Buckingham was born on 18 October 1950. She attended

St Mary's School, Calne St Mary's School is an independent day and boarding school in Calne, Wiltshire, for girls aged 11 to 18. The school is a registered charity. St Mary's Calne is the top performing independent school in the South West, ranked by 2017 examinatio ...

from 1960 to 1968. She then studied

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...

at the

University of Sheffield , mottoeng = To discover the causes of things , established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions: – Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield , type = Pu ...

from 1968 - 1971. She received her PhD degree in pharmacology at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. In 1987, she received her

DSc DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

degree from the same university.

Career

Buckingham started her career in 1971 as a research assistant at Glaxo Laboratories, UK. From 1974-1980, she became a research fellow at the department of pharmacology,

. From 1980-1987, she became a senior lecturer at the same university. From 1988-1997, she became a professor of pharmacology and was head of department of pharmacology, Charing Cross and Westminster Hospital, University of London. From 1992-1997, she became the assistant Dean. In 1997, she moved to

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

to be professor of pharmacology. In 2000, she became the college Dean in nonclinical medicine at Imperial College London. In 2007, she became Pro-rector (education) and in 2010 she became Pro-rector (education and academic affairs) at the same university. In 2012, she left Imperial College London to be

Vice Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

. In August 2019, she additionally became the President of

Universities UK Universities UK (UUK) is an advocacy organisation for universities in the United Kingdom. It began life in the early 20th century through informal meetings of vice-chancellors of a number of universities and principals of university colleges and ...

. Following the announcement of her intention to leave Brunel, she became Chair of the Institute of Cancer Research on 1 August 2021.

Awards

Buckingham was elected as a fellow of the

British Pharmacological Society The British Pharmacological Society is the primary UK learned society for pharmacologists concerned with research into drugs and the way they work. Members work in academia, industry, regulatory agencies and the health services, and many are medi ...

in 2004. In 2011, she was elected an honorary member of the British Society for Neuroendocrinology. In 2017, she received the

Society for Endocrinology The Society for Endocrinology is an international membership organisation and registered charity representing scientists, clinicians and nurses who work with hormones. The Society was established in 1946, and currently has approximately 2,500 mem ...

Jubilee Medal. In 2018, she was appointed by the Queen a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE). She was elected a fellow of the

Academy of Medical Sciences The Academy of Medical Sciences is an organisation established in the UK in 1998. It is one of the four UK National Academies, the others being the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. Its mission is to adv ...

in 2019.

Selected works

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckingham, Julia Living people British pharmacologists Alumni of the University of Sheffield Alumni of the University of London Academics of Imperial College London Academics of Brunel University London Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom) People educated at St Mary's School, Calne Vice-Chancellors by university in the United Kingdom 1950 births