'The profession is diversifying and the society needs to change'

In tumultuous times, a new chief scientific adviser to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society takes up her post

Jayne Lawrence has taken the job of chief scientific adviser to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain at a time of tumultuous change for the profession.

The Government's White Paper on the regulation of health professions earlier this year heralded the break-up of the society. It proposed that a new General Pharmaceutical Council take over regulating the 70,000 members of the profession, leaving the RPS to take on a "Royal College-style role", focusing on the industry's "professional and clinical leadership".

"The profession is diversifying and the society needs to embrace and represent all strands of the profession, including the emerging professions within the pharmaceutical industry," said Professor Lawrence, professor of biophysical pharmaceutics at King's College London. "It is an interesting time to be taking up this post."

According to the RPS, Professor Lawrence will develop the society's "portfolio of scientific activity by strengthening links with the scientific community". She has also taken the role of the society's media spokesperson.

Professor Lawrence graduated in pharmacy from Liverpool Polytechnic in 1982, took a PhD at Manchester University then joined King's. She will continue in her current academic position, working with the society's science team two and a half days a week. She is a longstanding member of the RPS' Academic Pharmacy Group Committee, serving as group chairman for two years. Her research interests are in the design, synthesis and biophysical characterisation of surfactant, liquid and polymer-based systems for drug and gene delivery.

Louise Sutton