Pioneering scientists were awarded the MRC Impact Prize to celebrate their achievements alongside those of the 2023 MRC Millennium Medal recipient.
The Medical Research Council’s (MRC) prizes recognises the breadth and diversity of skilled people needed for the future biomedical research and development workforce.
The MRC Impact Prize celebrates outstanding individuals and teams across a broad career stage who have made transformative impacts in three areas: open science impact; outstanding team impact; and early career impact.
Dr Joan Chang from The University of Manchester was awarded the Early Career Impact Prize for her work championing the institutional postdoctoral community since 2017.
Professor Paul Denny from Durham University accepted the Outstanding Team Impact Prize on behalf of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
The Open Science Impact Prize was awarded to the OpenSAFELY Collaborative, led by Professor Ben Goldacre at the University of Oxford.
Each winner received £20,000 to widen the outreach or impact of their work or to advance their learning or development
At the award ceremony in June, MRC also celebrated the highly commended entries in each category.
The MRC Millennium Medal celebrates an exceptional researcher who has made a major contribution to MRC’s mission. This was awarded to Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen in recognition of his contributions to many aspects of autism research, to typical cognitive sex differences, and to synaesthesia research.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, MRC Executive Chair, said: “The MRC Impact Prize commend the outstanding achievements of our research community within the UK and abroad. The 2023 finalists embody an extraordinary diversity of discipline, and background, showcasing the rich talent driving forward world-class science and innovation.
“We are also delighted to award the 2023 MRC Millennium Medal to Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen. Simon’s ground-breaking contributions to the field of medical research reflect a career dedicated not just to scientific excellence but to fostering an inclusive research environment and nurturing the next generation of scientists within the UK and globally. Congratulations to all the winners."