Ajay Kakkar - Biography#
Ajay Kakkar is a surgeon and academic who has made substantial contributions clinically and scientifically to the field of thromboembolic disease and anticoagulant development and, through his broader public service, has promoted a better understanding in parliament and government of the challenges and opportunities for life sciences in the UK and enhancing the science environment and research in our country.
Ajay Kakkar’s academic career has been defined by his contributions to the field of thrombosis research which have included the publication of high impact seminal studies in the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism; the prevention and treatment of cancer associated thrombosis; the determination of burden outcomes and risk stratification in atrial fibrillation; the clinical development of novel anticoagulants including the low molecular weight heparins and orally active direct factor Xa inhibitors that have become the established standard for anticoagulation treatments across diverse clinical populations. These academic achievements, resulting in 248 original publications, have been recognised through delivery of eponymous lectures, and the award of prizes, fellowships and honorary fellowships from UK Medical Royal Colleges, and learned societies and academies in the United Kingdom and Internationally.
In 2009, Ajay Kakkar participated in the establishment of UCL Partners (UCLP), one of England’s five designated Academic Health Science Systems subsequently leading the organisation as its Chairman from 2014-2021. During that period the partnership comprising three universities (University College London, Queen Mary University of London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine); and five major NHS trusts (University College London Hospitals, Royal Free Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Moorfields Hospital and Bart’s and The London Hospitals) were re-accredited as both an Academic Health Science Centre and an Academic Health Science Network. It also evolved to provide a system-wide umbrella structure incorporating the associated Clinical Research Network, Applied Research Collaborative, Genomic Medicine Service Alliance, and Health Data Research UK data hub. Under his leadership, UCLP facilitated the adoption of evidence-based innovation at scale and pace, promoting major research infrastructure bids and partnership working across academic and NHS institutions.
In 2020, Ajay Kakkar became Chairman of the board of trustees of The King’s Fund. The Fund is one of the country’s leading health think tanks and is responsible for informing health policy initiatives and facilitating organisational development and leadership to achieve sustainability across the UK health and care system.
In 2021, he became Chairman of King’s Health Partners (KHP) (King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’s Trust, South London and Maudsley Trust and King’s College Hospital) and its associated innovation district SC1. Under his leadership KHP will deliver initiatives in population health, health informatics and the coordination of academic/clinical research groups across the partner organisations.
In 2021, he became Chairman of the board of trustees of UK Biobank. In this role he has led the board in fulfilling it strategic and governance responsibilities whilst working closely with the senior leadership team to secure Biobank’s future including restructuring of its board, renewal of relationships with its founding funders, and initiatives supporting its longer term financial sustainability.
In 2022, Ajay Kakkar became Chairman of the Royal Commission for The Great Exhibition of 1851 (1851 Commission). In this position he will help deliver the objectives of the Commission across domains of science, engineering, the built environment and design; providing governance for the procees of appointing to its prestigious fellowships; facilitating the broader collaborative opportunities of the ‘Albertopolis’ and the associated museum and academic institutions. Many of the awards are focussed on raising awareness of the young to the opportunities presented by science and engineering.
Ajay Kakkar is currently Chairman of the Office for the Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR). Established as a result of Sir David Cooksey’s review of health research funding in 2004 and constituted across the Departments of Health and Social Care and Business Energy and Industrial Strategy with the remit to facilitate more efficient translation of health research into health and economic benefits in the UK through better coordination of health research and more coherent funding arrangements to support translation. As Chairman Ajay Kakkar provides leadership to facilitate the funders of health research across the UK to deliver health research funding, addressing national priorities, and leveraging the opportunity for enhanced coordination between public sector, third sector and commercial funding.
He currently serves as a trustee and council member of the Foundation for Science and Technology and as a member of The Royal Society Advisory Board.
Since his appointment to the House of Lords in 2010 as a cross bench peer Ajay Kakkar has made a substantial commitment to broader public service. Among his many activities, he served as Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission from 2013-2018; Chairman of The Health Honours Committee 2014-2021; Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission leading the body responsible for all appointments to the judiciary in England and Wales 2016-2022.
His contributions to parliament, debates, committees and the scrutiny of legislation, have principally pertained to science and healthcare.
