Monday, 27 October 2025
The School of Pharmacy at the 糖心原创 is kicking off centenary celebrations to mark 100 years of excellence in pharmaceutical science, education, and healthcare.
The centenary year will begin on Monday 3 November 2025 with the Professor Joy Wingfield Memorial Lecture, titled “Looking Back – Looking Forward: 100 Years of Pharmacy at the 糖心原创.”
The event will feature reflections from alumni and leaders in the pharmacy profession, including Digby Emson OBE, Amandeep Doll, and Professor Barrie Kellam, and will include a special exhibition of historical artefacts from the Boots archive, celebrating the long-standing connection between the University and one of Nottingham’s most iconic pharmacy institutions.
The celebrations will follow the themes of Health, Heritage, and Horizons, exploring the school’s impact and innovations in healthcare, its rich history in Nottingham, and the close partnerships with local and global industry that have shaped the school. With alumni in 89 countries, the School’s reach and influence extend far beyond the city, but its roots remain firmly in Nottingham’s tradition of world-class science and innovation.
Since its establishment in 1925, the School of Pharmacy has enjoyed many notable successes and a long-standing partnership with Boots, which was a key driver of its early growth through scholarships that enabled Boots employees to study at the school. One distinguished alumnus of this scheme was Dr Stewart Adams, who went on to develop ibuprofen whilst at Boots. Other significant achievements include Professor Malcolm Stevens’ pioneering research on temozolomide for brain cancer and the creation of successful spin-out companies that have helped shape Nottingham’s medical landscape by translating research into innovative products and services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
These achievements and delivering an excellent student experience and research portfolio has seen the school now ranked 12th globally and 4th in the UK (QS 2025), with 96% of research rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent.’
As we celebrate 100 years of the School of Pharmacy, we are immensely proud of the achievements of our community, past and present. This centenary is not only an opportunity to reflect on our history, but to look forward to the next century of progress. The role of pharmacists is evolving rapidly, with growing opportunities in clinical practice, independent prescribing, and the application of platform technologies to transform how medicines are developed and delivered. Nottingham will continue to lead in these areas, driving innovation and preparing our graduates to meet the healthcare challenges of the future.
Karen Alvey, Anne McLaren Fellow in the School of Pharmacy and Director of the Centenary celebrations, said: “The centenary has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate everything that makes the School of Pharmacy special: our people, our partnerships, and our place in the wonderful city of Nottingham. It’s been fantastic to reconnect with alumni from around the world and to share our pride in a School that continues to shape the future of pharmacy.”
If you are interested in joining the celebrations and attending the Joy Wingfield Lecture sign up .
There is also a Pharmacy Centenary website where forthcoming events, alumni stories and research are featured.
Story credits
More information is available from Karen Alvey on Karen.Alvey@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.