Dr Ceri Williams is Executive Director of Challenge-Led Themes at the Medical Research Council (MRC). She leads the development and delivery of MRC’s strategic programmes, ensuring the MRC challenge‑led portfolio strengthens UK research, innovation and the wider life sciences sector. Her remit includes oversight of MRC investments in data science, skills and talent, research infrastructure, and major investments such as MRC Institutes, Units and Centres of Research Excellence, alongside targeted initiatives aligned with MRC strategy.
Ceri brings extensive experience in research funding and strategic programme design, having led multiple large‑scale, multi‑million‑pound initiatives and cross‑sector partnerships. Before joining MRC, she spent more than a decade at BBSRC driving strategy and funding activities across Bioscience for Health and Transformative Technologies. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience.
