Professor Michelle West

Professor Michelle West, Head of the School of Life Sciences, is leaving the University at the end of December 2025 to take up the role of Head of the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences and Professor of Tumour Virology at Queen Mary University of London. 

Michelle has worked at the University for nearly 24 years. She joined the Department of Biochemistry in the School of Biological Sciences (now Life Sciences) in November 2001 to launch her independent research career here funded by a four-year Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship. Her team’s work has focused on understanding the molecular details of how the cancer-associated Epstein-Barr virus drives cancer development. More recently her team has been developing small molecule drugs to help treat these cancers. Her research has received external funding from a variety of funders including the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK and she has taught and convened modules across all levels of the Life Sciences curriculum. 

Michelle became a Professor of Tumour Virology in 2015, was appointed Subject Chair (Head of Department) of Biochemistry and Biomedicine in 2018 and took up a new role as Deputy Head of School (Research and Enterprise) in 2020. She was appointed Head of the School of Life Sciences in July 2023. 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, Professor Michael Luck, said: “Michelle has made a huge contribution to the University, including most recently leading and contributing to a programme of advanced instrumentation upgrades totalling £4.3m (including a £0.5m award from the Wolfson Foundation), overseeing the completion of teaching laboratory upgrades funded by the £4.3m Office for Students grant and leading the two-phase Life Sciences new building project to Outline Business Case. I know she will be missed, and I look forward to following her progress at Queen Mary in the future.” 

Michelle said: “It is with sadness that I say farewell to Sussex, but not goodbye, as my research collaborations and my fondness for, and connections with, Sussex will continue. Sussex gave me the chance to start my independent career and the opportunity to develop my leadership skills, for which I will always be grateful. There has always been an open culture of opportunity at Sussex and the space to bring forward and deliver new ideas and initiatives. I will miss all of my excellent academic, professional services and technical colleagues in Life Sciences and my wide community of colleagues across the University, but it is time to embrace exciting new avenues elsewhere in both leadership and research. It has been a privilege working with such an amazingly dedicated set of colleagues over the years and I thank them for their support, mentorship and hard work.”