Professor Pip Beard
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences
Title: Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences
Email: p.m.beard@keele.ac.uk
Email other: m.gower@keele.ac.uk
Location: Science Learning Centre, SLC 0.06
Contacting me: Executive Assistant - Michelle Gower - m.gower@keele.ac.uk
Biography
Professor Beard is a Professor of Viral Pathology and has worked at universities and research institutes in Australia, Scotland, the USA, Mongolia and England. For the past twenty years her research has focussed on finding out how poxviruses cause disease. She has studied the molecular interactions of poxviruses with their host, describing the pathological and immunological changes that occur in response to infection with a poxvirus, and most recently investigated insect-borne transmission of lumpy skin disease virus between cattle.
Professor Beard’s research has been rewarded with a Wellcome Trust fellowship (2004), the Speciality Research Medal from The Royal College of Pathologists (2014), the Journal of Comparative Pathology Medal (2018), and Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for Meritorius Contribution to Knowledge (2023). She has served on international science panels such as the Wellcome Trust Pathogen Biology and Disease Transmission Discovery Advisory Group and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Expert Advisory Group for poxviruses. Professor Beard has been supported through her career by the innovative and dedicated research scientists and students within her team.
Professor Beard has a particular interest in promoting research as a career for veterinarians, and is a strong advocate for gender equality in science, technology, engineering and maths.
Prior to her current role as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Professor Beard was the Head of the School of Life Sciences at Keele University where she provided strategic leadership to advance excellence in education, research, innovation, and civic engagement in the Life Sciences. She now extends that remit across the Faculty.
