Ijeoma Uchegbu Named 7th President By Cambridge University

Ijeoman Uchegbu who currently lectures at University College, London will assume office on October 1, 2024, succeeding the current president, Professor Jane Clarke.

The University of Cambridge has named Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu, a specialist in Pharmaceutical Nanoscience, as the seventh president of Wolfson College, one of its 31 colleges.

The announcement was made via a statement titled “Wolfson elects Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu as the College’s 7th President” on the university’s website. Uchegbu will assume office on October 1, 2024, succeeding the current president, Professor Jane Clarke. She currently lectures at University College, London.

She is renowned for her pioneering work in nanoparticle drug delivery and presently lectures at University College London.

The statement reads, “We are thrilled to announce the election of Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu, a groundbreaking nanoscientist, as the seventh President of Wolfson.

“Known for her groundbreaking work in nanoparticle drug delivery, Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu will succeed Professor Jane Clarke on October 1, 2024, as the 7th President of Wolfson.

Professor Uchegbu is currently a Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at University College London. Her innovative research on drug transport mechanisms has contributed to the development of new treatments, including the enkephalin pain medicine candidate (EnveltaÔ), designed to address the opioid crisis.

Her work has garnered numerous awards, fellowships, and accolades. She also holds positions on several academic boards and councils including the Wellcome Trust, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and is an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

During her tenure at UCL, she played a key role as Pro Vice Provost for Africa and the Middle East, forging new research partnerships in those regions. She also served as UCL’s Provost’s Envoy for Race Equality, driving the institution’s race equality agenda.

In her response, Uchegbu stated,

“I am delighted to be joining Wolfson College, an ambitious and forward-thinking College. Leading such a vibrant, diverse, and engaged student community in an intellectually, culturally, and socially stimulating environment will be an honor.
“I eagerly anticipate collaborating with the governing body, staff, and students to help them achieve their goals and potential.”
Meanwhile, the outgoing President, Professor Clarke, congratulated Ijeoma on her election, expressing, “If she finds being the leader of the ‘Wolfpack’ half as rewarding as I have, then I can assure her that she will enjoy herself immensely.”

Uchegbu spent her early childhood in Hackney and southeast Nigeria. She studied pharmacy at the University of Benin, graduating in 1981, and earned her master’s degree at the University of Lagos. Her inability to complete a PhD in Nigeria led to her move back to the UK, where she completed her postgraduate studies at the University of London, graduating with a PhD in 1997.

She was a lecturer at the University of Strathclyde from 2002–2004.