Queen¡¯s University Belfast has announced the ¡°untimely and sudden¡± death of Patrick Johnston, its vice-chancellor.

Professor Johnston, 58, had led the Northern Irish institution since March 2014.

James O¡¯Kane, registrar and chief operating officer at Queen¡¯s, said in a statement issued ¡°with a deep sense of shock and loss¡± that Professor Johnston had died earlier on 4 June.

¡°We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Iseult, his wife, and their four boys, Seamus, Eoghan, Niall and Ruairi, and the wider family circle at this desperately sad time,¡± Mr O¡¯Kane said.

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Prior to becoming vice-chancellor, Professor Johnston had been dean of the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen¡¯s, and was a leading cancer researcher.

He served on the board of the Medical Research Council and was appointed chair of the organisation¡¯s translational research group in 2012.

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Professor Johnston, a native of Londonderry, had been the first person to be appointed vice-chancellor of Queen¡¯s from within its staff since 1976.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com