{{Short description|British immunologist}} {{Use British English|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [[Sir]] | name = Leszek Borysiewicz | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GBE|DL|FRS|FRCP|FMedSci|FLSW}} | office = 345th [[List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge|Vice-Chancellor]] of the [[University of Cambridge]] | order = | image = File:Leszek Borysiewicz.jpg | alt = | caption = Borysiewicz in 2008 | chancellor = {{plainlist| * [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] * [[David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville|Lord Sainsbury of Turville]]}} | predecessor = [[Alison Richard|Dame Alison Richard]] | successor = [[Stephen Toope]] | minister2 = {{plainlist| * [[John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness|John Hutton]] * [[Peter Mandelson]] * [[Vince Cable]]}} | office2 = Chief Executive of the [[Medical Research Council (United Kingdom)|Medical Research Council]] | predecessor2 = [[Colin Blakemore]] | successor2 = [[John Savill|Sir John Savill]] | birth_name= Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1951|04|13}} | birth_place = [[Cardiff]], Wales | death_date = | death_place = | education = [[Cardiff University School of Medicine]] (MB BCh)<br />[[Imperial College London]] (PhD) | occupation = Immunologist and academic | term_start = 1 October 2010 | term_end = 1 October 2017 | term_start2 = 1 October 2007 | term_end2 = 30 September 2010 | module = {{Infobox scientist | embed=yes | thesis_title = Cell mediated immunity to human cytomegalovirus infection (cytotoxic T cell and natural killer cell mediated lysis of human cytomegalovirus infected cells) | thesis_url = http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/37949 | thesis_year = 1986 | awards = [[Knight Bachelor]]<br />[[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire|GBE]] | doctoral_advisor = J. G. P. Sissons<ref name=lphd/><br />[[Keith Peters (physician)|Keith Peters]]<ref name=lphd/>}} }}
'''Sir Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz''' (born 13 April 1951) is a [[British people|British]] [[professor]], [[immunologist]] and scientific administrator.<ref>[http://delacourcommunications.com/swiss-lessons-for-uk-universities-referendum-campaign/ delacourcommunications.com]; ''DelaCour''; Article: Swiss lessons for UK universities’ referendum campaign; author: Nic Mitchell; accessed 5 May 2017.</ref> He served as chairman of [[Cancer Research UK]] (2016-2023).<ref>Nigel Hawkes, [https://archive.today/20110524004135/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article2442009.ece Mobile phones don’t cause cancer – in the short-term. Long-term, who knows?], ''The Times'', 13 September 2007</ref><ref name="Telegraph">Roger Highfield, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2007/09/12/scimrc122.xml Medical Research Council's new head announced]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 12 September 2007.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1038/news.2009.1109| title = Medical Research Council chief to step down| journal = Nature| year = 2009| last1 = Brumfiel | first1 = G. | doi-access = free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2023/03/28/cancer-research-uk-appointment-of-new-chair/ |website=Cancer Research UK |access-date=27 March 2024 |title=Cancer Research UK announces appointment of new Chair |date=28 March 2023 }}</ref> Prior to that he was [[List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge|Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge]] (2010-2017)<ref>[http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~frank/12493b.pdf Appointment of Vice-Chancellor prospectus, 2009]</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz confirmed as next Vice-Chancellor|url=http://www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/news/?dp=2009112601&dpt=news|access-date=20 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210232836/https://www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/news?dp=2009112601&dpt=news|archive-date=10 December 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and [[chief executive]] of the [[Medical Research Council (UK)|Medical Research Council]] (2007-2010).
==Education and early life== Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/why-cambridge-is-at-the-heart-of-britains-economic-recovery-9134717.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/why-cambridge-is-at-the-heart-of-britains-economic-recovery-9134717.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Independent|title=Why Cambridge is at the heart of Britain's economic recovery|date=17 February 2014|first=Margareta|last=Pagano|access-date= 24 February 2014}}</ref> was born in [[Cardiff, Wales|Cardiff]], Wales, to Jan and Zofia (née Wołoszyn) Borysiewicz, ethnic Polish [[World War II]]-era refugees (from what is present-day [[Belarus]]) who came to Great Britain with the [[Anders' Army]].<ref>[http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/v-c/biography/long-biography.html Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz biography], University of Cambridge. Retrieved 20 March 2015. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025014437/http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/v-c/biography/long-biography.html |date=25 October 2010 }}</ref> He speaks fluent Polish. After attending [[Cardiff High School]], Borysiewicz studied at [[Welsh National School of Medicine]] of [[Cardiff University]], where he obtained a [[Bachelor of Science|BSc]] in anatomy 1972, followed by an [[Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery|MB BCh]] medical degree in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://viewer.zmags.com/static/production.zmags/m0x_pdf_9b4c71f7378a82ac32beef42522c4b62|title=DOD's Civil Service Companion 2009–10, 8th edition|website=viewer.zmags.com|access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref> He received a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree from [[Imperial College London]] (then part of the [[University of London]]) in 1986 for his thesis on [[Cell mediated immunity]] to human [[cytomegalovirus]] infection ([[cytotoxic T cell]] and [[natural killer cell]] mediated [[lysis]] of [[human cytomegalovirus]] infected cells) supervised by J. G. P. Sissons and [[Keith Peters (physician)|Keith Peters]].<ref name=lphd>{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|first=Leszek|last=Borysiewicz|year=1986|title=Cell mediated immunity to human cytomegalovirus infection (cytotoxic T cell and natural killer cell mediated lysis of human cytomegalovirus infected cells)|url=https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk:8443/handle/10044/1/37949|website=imperial.ac.uk|oclc=930644206|hdl=10044/1/37949|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.691946}}}} {{open access}}</ref> He received a [[Royal College of Physicians#Fellowship|Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians]] (FRCP) in 1989.<ref name="AE">[https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Borysiewicz_Leszek Leszek K. Borysiewicz] - website of the [[Academia Europaea]]</ref> In 2010, Borysiewicz was awarded with an [[Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin)|MA]] degree from the [[University of Cambridge]], upon his inauguration as the new Vice-Chancellor of this University.<ref>[https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/2418 Cambridge welcomes new Vice-Chancellor] - website of student newspaper Varsity for the University of Cambridge</ref>
==Career and research== Borysiewicz pursued a career in academic medicine at the [[University of Cambridge]], where he was a fellow of [[Wolfson College, Cambridge|Wolfson College]], and then as a [[Consultant (medicine)|consultant]] at [[Hammersmith Hospital]]. He headed the Department of Medicine at the [[University of Wales]] before joining [[Imperial College London]], where he was promoted to Deputy [[Rector (academia)|Rector]] responsible "for the overall academic and scientific direction of the College,"<ref name="Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/aboutimperial/rectorandprincipalofficers/professorsirleszekborysiewicz|title=Rector and Principal Officers » Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz|website=imperial.ac.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925014623/http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/aboutimperial/rectorandprincipalofficers/professorsirleszekborysiewicz|archive-date=25 September 2006|df=dmy-all}} Retrieved 22 September 2007.</ref> In September 2007, it was reported he would succeed [[Colin Blakemore]] as the 9th head of the Medical Research Council, a national organisation that supports medical science with an annual budget of around £500 million.<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Baker | first1 = Monya | title = Banking on the future of stem cells | doi = 10.1038/452263a | journal = [[Nature (journal)|Nature]] | volume = 452 | issue = 7185 | pages = 263–264 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18354439 | bibcode = 2008Natur.452..263B | s2cid = 4301531 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Anon | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61452-4 | title = Borysiewicz invited to lead UK Medical Research Council | journal = [[The Lancet]] | volume = 370 | issue = 9592 | pages = 1008–1022 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17889223 | s2cid = 12925284 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Hopkin | first1 = M. | title = Borysiewicz to head UK medical council | doi = 10.1038/449121a | journal = Nature | volume = 449 | issue = 7159 | pages = 121 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17851479 | bibcode = 2007Natur.449..121H | doi-access = free }}</ref>
Borysiewicz was appointed as chairman of [[Cancer Research UK]] in November 2016. Cancer Research UK is one of the world's largest fundraising charities and is governed by a council of trustees, led by Borysiewicz. The council's role is to set the charity's strategic direction, uphold its value and governance, and guide, advise and support the chief executive.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-08 |title=Our Trustees |url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/how-we-are-run/our-trustees |access-date= |website=Cancer Research UK |language=en}}</ref>
Borysiewicz previously chaired the [[European Research Council]] Identification Committee (2014-2020);<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2014 |title=Standing Identification Committee |url=https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/Standing_Identification_Committee_for_ERC_Scientific_Council_2014.pdf}}</ref> Scientific Advisory Board, [[Department for International Development]], [[Government of the United Kingdom|UK Government]] (2010-2016); and Joint MRC/UK Stem Cell Foundation Scientific Advisory Board (2005-2007).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Henderson |first=Mark |title=New medical research head promises to control business bias |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/new-medical-research-head-promises-to-control-business-bias-dg2rbs3txq2 |access-date=2023-01-27 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> In April 2026, the UK government announced that Sir Leszek was to be the next Chair of [[UK Research and Innovation]] from July 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-07 |title=Esteemed scientist and academic leader Sir Leszek Borysiewicz named as government’s preferred candidate for UKRI Chair |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/esteemed-scientist-and-academic-leader-sir-leszek-borysiewicz-named-as-governments-preferred-candidate-for-ukri-chair |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>
He currently holds several other roles, including as a member of the UK Health Honours Committee,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honours committees |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/honours-committees |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> Wales Science and Innovation Council,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wales Science and Innovation Advisory Council |url=https://www.gov.wales/wales-science-and-innovation-advisory-council |access-date= |website=GOV.WALES |language=en}}</ref> as a non-executive director at 52 North Health,<ref>{{Cite web |title=52 North Health Ltd. Creators of Neutrocheck |url=https://52north.health/about |access-date= |website=52 North Health |language=en}}</ref> and Chair of [[Diamond Light Source]], the UK's national [[synchrotron]] facility.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Company/Board/Professor-Sir-Leszek-Borysiewicz-.html|title=Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz |publisher=Diamond Light Source Ltd|date=December 2024|access-date=31 December 2024}}</ref>
Borysiewicz's research focuses on [[virus|viral]] [[immunology]], [[infectious disease]], and [[viral-induced cancer]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Borysiewicz%2C+L |website=Pubmed |access-date=27 March 2024 |title=Borysiewicz%2C L - Search Results }}</ref> His work in [[vaccine]]s included Europe's first trial of a vaccine for [[HPV vaccine|human papillomavirus]] to treat [[cervical cancer]], research conducted at [[Cardiff University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leszek Borysiewicz |url=https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/people/leszek-borysiewicz |access-date= |website=www.homerton.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref> He has co-authored and co-edited a number of books on these subjects, including ''Vaccinations''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Beverley, Peter|title=Vaccination|publisher=Published for the [[British Council]] by Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, UK|year=2002|isbn=0-19-851627-4}}</ref>
===Awards and honours=== Borysiewicz was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] in the [[2001 New Year Honours|2001 New Year Honours List]] for services to Medical Research and Education.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=56070 |date=30 December 2000 |supp=y |pages=1–27 }}</ref> He was appointed a [[Deputy Lieutenant]] of [[Cambridgeshire]] (DL) in 2012.<ref>[https://www.cambridgeshirelieutenancy.org.uk/leszek-borysiewicz/ Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz GBE DL MA PhD FRS FRCP FMedSci] - website of the Lieutenancy of Cambridgeshire</ref> In October 2018, he was awarded the [[Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland]], the highest-ranked Polish order of merit awarded to foreigners or Poles resident abroad for their services to Poland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland |url=http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WMP20190000074/O/M20190074.pdf |website=Polish Government}}</ref> He collected it during a ceremony at the Polish Embassy in London in late April 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Award Ceremony - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland |url=https://twitter.com/PolishEmbassyUK/status/1121482083271086082 |publisher=Polish Embassy}}</ref> He was appointed a [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]] (GBE) by [[King Charles III]] in the [[2025 New Year Honours|2025 New Year Honours List]] for services to Cancer Research, to Clinical Research, to Medicine and to Charities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ln96d4yyeo|title=Gareth Southgate, Stephen Fry and Olympians lead New Year Honours list|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=30 December 2024|access-date=31 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=64607 |date=31 December 2024 |supp=y |pages=N8 }}</ref>
Borysiewicz was awarded as [[Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists|Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists]] (Hon FRCPath) in 2001.<ref>[https://www.rcpath.org/profession/committees/honorary-fellows.html Honorary Fellows] - website of the [[Royal College of Pathologists]]</ref> In 2002, he was awarded the Moxon Trust Medal of the [[Royal College of Physicians]]. He was also a Governor of the [[Wellcome Trust]], a founding [[Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences]] (FMedSci)<ref>[http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/people/l.borysiewicz/activities Borysiewicz profile], Imperial College London. Retrieved 22 September 2007</ref> and co-chair of the MRC's advisory group on [[stem cell]] research.<ref name="Telegraph"/> In 2008, Borysiewicz was awarded with the honorary degree of [[Doctor of Science]] (Hon DSc) from the [[University of Hull]]<ref>[https://www.hull.ac.uk/choose-hull/university-and-region/honorary-graduates Honorary Graduates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209234819/https://www.hull.ac.uk/choose-hull/university-and-region/honorary-graduates |date=9 December 2023 }} - website of the [[University of Hull]]</ref> as well one from the [[University of Southampton]],<ref name="AE" /> and was elected a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]] (FRS).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Current Fellows |url=https://royalsociety.org/fellows/fellows-directory/ |access-date= |website=royalsociety.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leszek Borysiewicz |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/leszek-borysiewicz-11115/ |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=royalsociety.org}}</ref> In 2009, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree (Hon DSc) from the [[Queen Mary University of London]].<ref>[https://www.qmul.ac.uk/alumni/ouralumni/notablealumni/honorarygraduates/ Honorary Graduates] - website of the [[Queen Mary University of London]]</ref> Also in this year, he was honoured with an honorary Doctor of Science degree (Hon DSc) by the [[University of Exeter]] for his contribution to medicine and medical research.<ref>[https://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/honorarygraduates/archive/2009/ceremony7.shtml Friday 24 July 2009 afternoon ceremony: Sir Leszek Borysiewicz (DSc)] - website of the [[University of Exeter]]</ref> He was awarded an honorary [[Doctor of Medicine#United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries|Doctorate of Medicine]] (Hon MD) in 2010 at the [[University of Sheffield]]. In the same year, Borysiewicz was also elected a Founding Fellow of the [[Learned Society of Wales]] (FLSW).<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Fellows |url=https://www.learnedsociety.wales/fellowship/fellows/ |access-date= |website=The Learned Society of Wales |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2012, Borysiewicz was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science ''honoris causa'' (DSc h.c) by the [[University of Hong Kong]] in recognition of his contributions to medical research and society.<ref>[https://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/graduates/leszek-krzysztof-borysiewicz Past Congregations: Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz] - websity of [[University of Hong Kong|HKU]]</ref> He further received an honorary [[Doctorate of Law]] (Hon LLD) from the [[University of Cambridge]] in 2018.<ref>[https://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/news/honorary-doctorate-professor-sir-leszek-borysiewicz Honorary Doctorate for Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz] - website of [[Wolfson College, Cambridge]]</ref><ref>[https://www.cam.ac.uk/news/university-of-cambridge-honorary-degrees-2018 University of Cambridge honorary→ degrees 2018] - website of the [[University of Cambridge]]</ref> In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the [[Jagiellonian University]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://en.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/about-university/ju-awards/honorary-doctorate |title=Honorary Doctorate |website=en.uj.edu.pl |access-date=28 May 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|35em}}
{{s-start}} {{s-aca}} {{succession box | title = [[Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge]] | years = 2010–2017 | before = [[Alison Richard]] | after = ''[[Stephen Toope]]'' }} {{s-end}} {{CC-notice|cc=by4|url= https://royalsociety.org/people/leszek-borysiewicz-11115/}}
{{FRS 2008}} {{Authority control}} {{University of Cambridge}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borysiewicz, Leszek}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Medical doctors from Cardiff]] [[Category:Welsh people of Polish descent]] [[Category:Alumni of Cardiff University]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of London]] [[Category:Alumni of Imperial College London]] [[Category:British immunologists]] [[Category:Academics of Imperial College London]] [[Category:Deputy lieutenants of Cambridgeshire]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians]] [[Category:Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom)]] [[Category:Fellows of the Learned Society of Wales]] [[Category:Vice-chancellors of the University of Cambridge]] [[Category:British fellows of the Royal Society]] [[Category:Fellows of Wolfson College, Cambridge]] [[Category:Knights Bachelor]] [[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]]