Nicola became Chair of Oxford University Innovation in 2021. A leader in science and entrepreneurship, she is Chair of Genomics England, and Board member of the biotechnology company, BioNTech. She is also a member of the House of Lords and the Royal Society Science Policy Expert Advisory Committee.
Prior to this, Nicola served as Minister for Innovation in the Department for Health and Social Care under two Prime Ministers. She led on Life Sciences, NHS Data and Digital Transformation, and Global Health Security.
Entering Parliament in 2010, she was the first female MP for Oxford, and was elected by MPs of all parties as Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. She remains one of the youngest committee Chairs in British history and the only woman to have chaired the Commons Science & Technology Committee.
Nicola’s career reflects an abiding belief that science, innovation and access are mission critical to solving our greatest global challenges.
