Michael Meredith Swann, Baron Swann, FRS (1920–22 September 1990) was a distinguished molecular and cell biologist working on the mechanisms of cell division and fertilisation. He used cell polarisation methods to understand the changes in molecular organisation of the mitotic spindle. With his collaborator Murdoch Mitchison, he found evidence in support of a new theory of cell division. He also collaborated with Victor Rothschild in experiments on changes in membrane structure during fertilisation.

He was chairman of the BBC from 1973 to 1980^[1] , and was created a life peer in 1981 as Baron Swann, of Coln St Denys in the County of Gloucestershire on 16 February 1981.^[2]

From 1965 to 1974, he was the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh University. The Michael Swann Building at the University of Edinburgh is named after him, where similar work on cell division and fertilisation continues to this day. In 1980 Swann became Provost of Oriel College,^[3] and was also Chancellor of the University of York from 1979 until his death.^[4]

Family

Brother-in-law of Monsignor Graham Leonard

Brother of Hugh Swann, cabinet maker to Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Nephew to Brigadier Vivian Dykes Chief Combined Secretary British Joint Staff Mission Washington 1942

External links

• Entry on "History of the BBC" Flash presentation with no direct link: Select 1970s chairman, Sir Michael Swann
• Another article on the BBC
• Michael Swann Building, University of Edinburgh

References

1. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation, Chairmen of the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/pdfs/chairmen.pdf
2. ↑ Heraldic Media Ltd., Patrick Cracoft-Brennan (Cracroft Peerage Database v5.2) http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/
3. ↑ Who, Where and When: The History & Constitution of the University of Glasgow Oxford http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/about/publish/histcon.pdf
4. ↑ Greg Dyke to be Chancellor of the University of York. Notes to Editors section. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/11_november/28/dyke_york.shtml