Awards and honours for our academics
Several academics from our Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry have received awards for their outstanding achievements in health research and impact this year. Here are just a few examples:
Professor Chloe Orkin has been recognised with an MBE for services to NHS in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours list.
Chloe Orkin is Professor of Infection and Inequities at Queen Mary and a Consultant Physician at Barts Health NHS Trust. She is Director of the SHARE Research Collaborative, where she specialises on new therapies for HIV.
The MBE recognises Chloe’s outstanding achievements as a world-leading HIV researcher, clinician, and medical, LGBTQ+ and disability leader.
Professor Thomas Powles named in TIME's list of the 100 most influential people in global health this year.
Professor Powles has been recognised for his breakthrough success in treating severe bladder cancer. Professor Powles, who is also Director of the Barts Cancer Centre at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, has been included for leading a clinical trial for a treatment of advanced bladder cancer. The trial was a huge success – the treatment was shown to double the life expectancy of patients with metastatic bladder cancer.
Professor Frances Balkwill elected as Fellow of the Royal Society. Professor Frances Balkwill OBE FMedSci FRS is one of 90 exceptional researchers across the world to be elected this year to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences.
Professor Frances Balkwill OBE FMedSci FRS was elected to this year’s cohort of Fellows for her invaluable contributions to cancer and public engagement with science. Fran is a cancer researcher at Queen Mary’s Barts Cancer Institute, where she studies the tumour microenvironment, the dynamic mix of malignant and immune cells, blood vessels and other ostensibly normal cells found in most cancers.
She is a pioneer of research into cancer-related inflammation and the tumour microenvironment and has made paradigm-shifting discoveries on the role of cytokines in cancer promotion that led to clinical trials. Fran is also a leader in public engagement in science as a writer and editor of children's science books and founder and director of the Centre of the Cell, an informal biomedical science education centre based at Queen Mary’s Whitechapel campus.
Professor Amrita Ahluwalia elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Pharmacology and Dean of Research for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, is one of 58 exceptional biomedical and health scientists elected by the Academy to its prestigious Fellowship.
Professor Ahluwalia has been elected to the Academy for her outstanding work in vascular pharmacology. The focus of her current research is the exploration of the impact of inflammation on cardiovascular function and the mechanisms involved, with a view to identifying novel targets and therapeutics.
Professor Graham Easton awarded a National Teaching Fellowship from Advance HE. The National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) celebrates and recognise academics who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes, student experience and the teaching profession.
Graham Easton, Professor of Medical Education and Honorary Professor of Clinical Communication Skills at Queen Mary, has been recognised for promoting a patient-centred approach to clinical communication. His experience as a medical educator, General Practitioner and medical journalist all weave into his teaching. For over 20 years, he has championed the patient voice in medical education, promoting person-centred primary healthcare and empathic communication.
Professor Jack Cuzick awarded the prestigious Galen Medal by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. The Galen Medal in Therapeutics has been presented by the Society of Apothecaries annually since 1925 and is its most prestigious honour.
Professor Cuzick was awarded the Medal in recognition of his work transforming the identification of women at high risk of breast cancer and pioneering modern prevention cervical screening strategies that have been adopted worldwide.
Professor John Gribben receives prestigious José Carreras award from the European Hematology Association (EHA). Professor Gribben was awarded the honour in recognition of his exceptional achievements and pivotal role in shaping the landscape of blood disorder (haematological) research.
Professor Gribben’s research focuses on leukaemia, bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy. His group investigates how cancer cells impair the function of the immune system to escape attack. He and his team identified that leukaemia and lymphoma cells disrupt the function of the molecule actin within T cells and discovered that these defects could be reversed with the drug lenalidomide. Based on this work, Professor Gribben led a trial that resulted in the approval of lenalidomide and rituximab (a second immunotherapy) for follicular lymphoma. He has also led the introduction of the innovative new immunotherapy CAR-T therapy at Barts Health NHS Trust.
Professor Li Chan named winner of 2024 European Journal of Endocrinology (EJE) Award.
The European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) announced that award has been given to Li Chan, Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, in recognition of Professor Chan’s world-class research into the biology of melanocortins and their accessory proteins, the development of small molecule antagonists for ACTH excess, and her development of a new research direction investigating obesity and diabetes in individuals with Down Syndrome. She is also a champion for women in science and has mentored colleagues and the next generation of scientists in collaboration with the Academy of Medical Sciences UK.