Head of School appointed as Veterinary Schools Council vice-chair

Professor Lisa Boden and Professor Christopher Loughrey have been appointed as vice-chairs to support the Veterinary Schools Council's expanded leadership structure.

Professor Lisa Boden, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and Professor Christopher Loughrey, Head of the School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow, have been appointed as Vice-Chairs of the Veterinary Schools Council (VSC). 

The appointment of Professors Boden and Loughrey to these newly created leadership roles represents a significant milestone in VSC’s history and comes in response to its recently expanded membership and continued determination to grasp both the challenges and the opportunities facing veterinary schools. 

They will take up their positions on 1 August and will serve alongside Professor Stuart Reid CBE, President & Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, who has been reappointed as Chair until 2027. 

Together, they form an experienced and talented leadership team that will work with and on behalf of the Council to shape policy, share best practice and contribute its expertise to veterinary education and research, both nationally and internationally. 

Professor Boden

Professor Lisa Boden is a UK (RCVS) and European veterinary specialist in veterinary public health and population medicine, with a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology and a Master of Laws in Medical Law and Ethics. 

She holds a Personal Chair in Population Medicine and Veterinary Public Health Policy at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and is one of the co-Directors of EPIC (Scottish Government’s Centre for Expertise in Animal Disease Outbreaks). She is also a member of the Scottish Science Advisory Council.

Professor Boden leads a programme of One Health research to improve preparedness and response to threats to human, animal and ecosystem health and well-being in the global north and in fragile and conflict affected states. 

Professor Loughrey

Professor Christopher Loughrey is an appointed member of RCVS Council, an elected Fellow of the RCVS, Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. 

He held the substantial academic leadership appointment as the International Dean for the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow between 2018 and 2024. He is a Professor of Experimental Cardiology and is currently the Executive Deputy Editor of Cardiovascular Research and has served on the Editorial board of the British Journal of Pharmacology. 

He is Principal Investigator of a British Heart Foundation Programme Grant where his research advances understanding of human cardiac disease including the molecular mechanisms associated with heart failure and myocardial infarction. 

Professors Chris Loughrey and Lisa Boden
Professors Christopher Loughrey and Lisa Boden

I am delighted that Professor Loughrey and I are to work together as Vice-Chairs of the Veterinary Schools Council, bringing a combined, broad perspective to advance the veterinary education sector in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. I look forward to collaborating with Chris and Stuart to ensure the Council brings its influence to bear on important matters for the veterinary profession and to wider society.

Professor Lisa Boden Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh

Our leadership roles in multiple international cross-disciplinary consortia and partnerships provide us with a comprehensive perspective on the challenges within the higher education sector and experience of driving meaningful policy discussions that result in real impact. We look forward to the opportunity to contribute to VSC with responsible, inclusive and empathetic leadership.

Professor Christopher Loughrey Head of the School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow

I am absolutely delighted to be working with Lisa and Chris and our excellent secretariat as the Veterinary Schools Council seeks to address the challenges our sector faces. The evolution of VSC and the maturing of our voice will be greatly bolstered by the remodelled leadership team ensuring greater focus and strengthened commitment to our several stakeholders.

Professor Stuart Reid, CBE Chair of the Veterinary Schools Council (VSC)

About the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies  

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a one-of-a-kind centre of excellence in clinical activity, teaching and research. Our purpose-built campus, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park, is home to more than 800 staff and almost 1400 students, all of whom contribute to our exceptional community ethos.  

The School comprises:  

The Roslin Institute    

The Roslin Innovation Centre  

The Hospital for Small Animals  

Equine Veterinary Services  

Farm Animal Services  

Easter Bush Pathology  

The Animal Welfare Centre  

We represent the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities in terms of economic growth, the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge. 

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