GOSH staff recognised in prestigious research prize

The Academy of Medical Sciences has this year elected 59 influential biomedical and health scientists to its respected Fellowship, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting edge research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

Fellows are drawn from institutions across the UK and their breadth of expertise ranges from molecular imaging to biostatistics to public health policy. They join a prestigious Fellowship of 1,400 esteemed researchers who are central to the Academy’s work. This includes providing career support to the next generation of researchers and contributing to the Academy’s influential policy work to improve health in the UK and globally.

Many of this year’s new Fellows are tackling the most significant health challenges society faces, including global health security, climate change, health inequalities and mental health. For example, Professor Jugnoo Rahi, Consultant Ophthalmologist at GOSH and Professor of Ophthalmic Epidemiology at UCL GOS ICH, works on population research that uncovers the ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in eye health and informs clinical care and policy to reduce the impact of blindness throughout life.

Professor Ruth Gilbert's research at UCL GOS ICH has a strong focus on using anonymised, administrative data to address clinical and policy questions for children and families.

Professor Dame Lyn Chitty has been based at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and UCL GOS ICH since the 1980s and is the UK’s only Professor of Genetics and Fetal Medicine. She has pioneered research into rapid and non-invasive prenatal diagnosis, offering families lower risk options to find out about the health of their unborn child.

Professor Mehul Dattani is currently Head of Paediatric Endocrinology at GOSH, University College London Hospitals and UCL GOS ICH. He has an active clinical practice encompassing all areas of paediatric and adolescent endocrinology at GOSH and UCLH.

The Academy has shared that it is committed to working towards full equity of opportunity for all, embedding inclusion in the organisation, its work and the wider medical science sector. In this year’s cohort, the proportion of Fellows elected from minority ethnic backgrounds has increased to 18% (compared to 12% in 2020). It also includes the highest proportion of women experts ever elected to the Fellowship, at 39%.