Finance Committee

Professor Narender Ramnani is a Professor of Neuroscience and Vice Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway.

Narender's research focuses on understanding brain systems and the mechanisms behind human behaviour, particularly the interactions between the frontal lobe and cerebellar plasticity. His work explores how these processes support cognitive and motor learning, using techniques such as functional MRI, eye tracking, and behavioral methods.

In addition to research, Prof Ramnani is passionate about research policy and sits on the UK Gov Parliamentary and Scientific Committee and Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter Governance Committee.

Prof Julie Williams is a world leader in the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Welsh Government. She was the founding Centre Director for UK DRI at Cardiff from 2017-2024. With a background in Psychology, Julie obtained her PhD from the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology. She joined University of Wales College of Medicine in 1991 as a Research Assistant, rising to Reader in Neuropsychological Genetics. As a co-lead in global initiatives her group has contributed to the discovery of over 40 susceptibility loci for AD. These findings implicate the role of immunity in disease development and specifically the contribution of microglia. Computational genetics of AD shows it to be a disease of multiple components which together, allow the prediction of those at high risk. Julie’s contribution to the field was recognised with a CBE in 2012. She is also an advocate for women in STEMM, commissioning a report that aimed to address the gender imbalance in science, published in 2016. Julie is also a member of the Council of the Academy of Medical Sciences and their champion in Wales.

Trevor Bushell studied Pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, which got him interested in neuroscience and how brain function can be modulated by GPCRs. This interest continued in his PhD at the University of Bristol looking at the effects of novel metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and antagonists on neuronal function. 

Then, having obtained a Wellcome Trust International Travelling Fellowship, Trevor worked at the University of Chicago for 3 years and returned to work at Imperial College London in January 2000. He gained his first academic position at the University of Strathclyde in 2002, with his current research interests based on astrocytes, neuroinflammation and their role in CNS disorders. Trevor has been involved in BNA governance on and off for over 10 years.

Laura studied Pharmacology at King’s College London (including a year in industry with GlaxoSmithKline) before completing her PhD at the Institute for Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience on the topic of ‘the Neuropharmacology of Autism Spectrum Disorders’.

In 2021 Laura was awarded the ‘ELRIG Early Career Impact Award’ for making a ‘significant impact in the drug discovery community’, and in 2022, a prestigious Fellowship to the British Pharmacological Society in recognition of her ongoing contribution to the sector.

Laura has worked across NHS, charity, academic and pharmaceutical research settings to develop strategic cross-sector partnerships and accelerate neuroscience drug discovery efforts in mental health, dementia and motor neurone disease.

Laura is currently Chief Executive of the British Neuroscience Association, where she is responsible for delivering the vision, mission and strategy of the BNA and it’s subsidiary company, BNA Events Ltd.