The Jubilee Lecture was established to commemorate the Society's 50th anniversary in 1961. It was awarded to a biochemist of distinction from any part of the world and the awardee was asked to lecture on their chosen field of research.

The Jubilee Lecture was awarded every 2 years and the lecturer received the Harden Medal (which was first awarded in 1971) and an honorarium of £2000. 

The Jubilee Lecture was published in Biochemical Society Transactions.  

Professor Joan Steitz was the recipient of the last Jubilee Lecture in 2009, as the award has now been changed to the Centenary Award.