Richardson was born in
Whitley Bay near
Newcastle upon Tyne. He was educated at the
University of Keele (BSc, Biochemistry) and the
University of Birmingham (PhD, 1988), and undertook post-doctoral research at the
University of Oxford from 1988 to 1991. Richardson joined the
University of East Anglia as a lecturer in 1991, and became a Professor in 2001. His research group in UEA's School of Biological Sciences is involved in investigating bacteria. In 1999, he was awarded the
Society for General Microbiology Fleming Medal, and is a recipient of the
Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. He has an
h-index of 83. David Richardson was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the
University of East Anglia in 2012 before becoming Vice-Chancellor in September 2014. Other positions he has held at the university include Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Enterprise and Engagement. During his time as Vice Chancellor Professor Richardson has worked on a
Universities UK taskforce focused on stamping out harassment on campus, and was particularly vocal in promoting the Higher Education case for the UK remaining in the EU in the 2016
EU Referendum. Richardson's other roles include chair of the
Norwich Research Park board and President of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. He is a Non-Executive Director of the
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Board of Directors. ==Personal life==