Professor Dame Jean Thomas Hon FSB will succeed Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell Hon FSB as the Society’s president. 

Dame Jean has been master of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, since 2007 and is emeritus professor of macromolecular biochemistry at the university. She continues to lead a small team studying the structure and dynamics of chromatin and associated proteins. Dame Jean is the first female master of St Catharine's, which dates back to 1473. She is vice-president and biological secretary of the Royal Society, and was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to biochemistry in 2004.
 
On her new role, Dame Jean said: “It’s a real honour to become president, succeeding Nancy, who has done a truly excellent job and will be a hard act to follow. For an organisation that is only four years old, the impact it has already made is impressive, particularly in the areas of science policy and biology education. The Society is doing well in engaging the public - only this morning there was a BBC Nature piece on the Society’s house spider citizen science project! This is a very exciting time to get involved with the Society, and as the Society adapts to its fast growth I am looking forward to working with Council and staff on the challenges ahead.”

She succeeds Dame Nancy Rothwell, who has been president since 2009. Dame Nancy said: “It’s been a fascinating four years as the first president of the Society, and it has been gratifying to have seen the organisation grow from its inception to the great success that it has now become. It’s been a real pleasure working with my colleagues on Council and with members of staff - the organisation is just full of people who are passionate about biology and about the value that the Society brings. I’m so pleased that Jean is taking over from me, and I look forward to seeing the Society go from strength to strength.”