Professor the Baroness Ilora Finlay of Llandaff is an honorary professor and Vice Dean of the University's School of Medicine and was named Welsh Woman of the Year for 1996 in recognition for her work in the field of palliative care. In 2001, she was appointed a people's peer in the first open contest for membership of the House of Lords.

A long-standing fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, Professor Finlay founded the Section of Palliative care at the Society.

"The theme of my tenure is 'listening doctors'. I am keen to see medicine working more closely with colleagues in other disciplines to ensure continued improvement in human health," said Professor Finlay.

"The RSM will also work collaboratively with other educational providers to ensure that our expertise is shared with the developing world," she said.

Professor Finlay is also director of the Institute of Medical Ethics and has served on several committees and advisory panels such as the Science Committee of Cancer Research UK and the Home Office Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs Act. She has had more than 126 papers and seven books published and holds senior editorial positions for medical journals such as Lancet Oncology and the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

To visit the Royal Society's website go to www.rsm.ac.uk