David Latchman

David Seymour Latchman CBE (born 22 January 1956) is a British geneticist and university administrator. From 2003 to 2023 he has been Vice-Chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London, and since 1999 professor of genetics at University College London. Since 2025, he has served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, following the suspension of incumbent Vice-Chancellor Wendy Thomson over allegations of bullying and poor leadership.

Early life and education Born into a Jewish family, he is nephew and heir to the childless wealthy property developer Maurice Wohl and is chair of the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation. As a child he attended Haberdashers' Boys' School. Subsequently, in 1978, he obtained Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences from Queens' College, Cambridge.

Career Latchman worked in the medical molecular biology unit at University College London (UCL), and at Middlesex School of Medicine.

He has been professor of molecular pathology, and director of the Windeyer Institute of Medical Science, at UCL, and was dean of the Institute for Child Health (1999–2002).

He serves on several committees including London Development Agency (observer status); Universities UK Research Policy Network; National DNA Database Ethics Group; London First (board member).

As Master of Birkbeck, he voiced protest at UK government proposals to cut funding for second degrees. Latchman was also a vocal advocate for part time degrees and government support to improve access for adults to higher education.

Latchman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for services to higher education.

Beginning in 2014, Latchman’s laboratory at UCL Institute of Child Health came under scrutiny after an anonymous whistleblower alleged that dozens of papers from the lab were doctored. Two screening expert panels in 2014 and 2015 found evidence of research fraud in 14 papers from 1990 to 2013. Even though the two investigations found no evidence that he intended to commit fraud or was aware of the fraud, they found he had been reckless in his running of the lab and co-authoring on the research and upheld an allegation of research misconduct against him.

On May 27, 2025, he assumed the role of Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, following the suspension of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Wendy Thomson, over allegations of bullying and poor leadership. Since then, he has been serving in this capacity while the university addresses the concerns surrounding its leadership.