The work and contribution of fourteen eminent bioscientists, outstanding teams, and exceptional early career researchers has been acknowledged in the annual Biochemical Society Awards. Each recipient has been recognised for excellence in their field, ranging from CRISPR genetic approaches and epigenetic modification to neuroimaging and mitochondrial biology.

Professor Colin Bingle, Professor of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Sheffield, and Chair of the Biochemical Society’s Awards Committee, says:

"My personal congratulations to all of the 2024 Biochemical Society Award winners. Every year, the Awards Committee is presented with the difficult task of selecting nominees from an impressive group of candidates and this year was no exception. With the addition of several new award categories to present in 2024, the chosen recipients represent a cross-section of the outstanding work taking place in our community, across a range of career stages. It is also incredibly heartening to see further recognition for teams and technicians, whose support is essential to all research. They should all be incredibly proud of their achievements. Well done to them all.”

Dr Emma Yhnell, recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award – Early Career, adds:

“Wow, I am absolutely ecstatic and incredibly humbled to win the Biochemical Society’s Teaching Excellence Award – Early Career in 2024! Thank you so much / diolch yn fawr iawn to those who nominated me and supported my application. I want to use this award to encourage others to try out innovations in their own teaching, whether that is incorporating a prop, trying some interactive polling or even playing some music; give it a go, I am sure that your students will massively appreciate it. Pursuing a career in teaching has been the best career decision and it is such a pleasure and a privilege to play a small part in helping our Bioscience students to understand complex topics. I will keep doing my best to make teaching in Higher Education more accessible, inclusive and fun so that all students can reach their full potential.”

The full list of recipients of the Biochemical Society’s 2024 Awards are:

• Biochemical Society Award – Significant Breakthrough or Achievement

Professor Paul Lehner, University of Cambridge

• Biochemical Society Award – Sustained Excellence

Professor Joanna Wardlaw, University of Edinburgh

• The Centenary Award

Professor Gideon Davies, University of York

• The Colworth Medal

Dr Kelly Nguyen, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

• Early Career Research Awards

Dr Mattie Pawlowic, University of Dundee

Dr Benjamin Schumann, The Francis Crick Institute and Imperial College London

• Research Support Award

WEHI Bioservices Team, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

• Industry and Academic Collaboration Award

DDU-GSK Kinetoplastid Drug Discovery Team

• International Award

Professor Marnie Blewitt, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

• The GlaxoSmithKline Award

Professor Ellie Tzima, University of Oxford

• Teaching Excellence Award – Early Career

Dr Emma Yhnell, Cardiff University

• Teaching Excellence Award – Established Educator

Dr Ellie Davison, University of Lincoln

• The Morton Lecture

Professor Sir Michael Ferguson, University of Dundee

• The Keilin Memorial Lecture

Professor Michael Duchen, University College London

You can read more about the recipients here.

Each year, the Biochemical Society presents a series of prestigious awards that recognise excellence and achievement in both specific and general fields of science. Nine of these awards are presented annually, with the remaining awarded either biennially or triennially. Candidates are nominated by their peers and the winners are agreed by a judging panel of respected scientists from across a range of different scientific backgrounds.

These winners will receive their prize and deliver an award or medal lecture in 2024. All of the awards and medal lectureships carry prize money and winners will be invited to submit an article to one of the Society’s journals.

Nominations for the Biochemical Society’s 2025 Awards open in August 2023 and can be made by and for members and non-members alike.