The Biochemical Society Award for Significant Breakthrough or Achievement will be presented to Professor César de la Fuente in 2027. César is Presidential Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Machine Biology Group and is among the youngest tenured professors in the history of Penn Medicine. He completed postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia. His work brings computation to one of medicine’s oldest challenges: discovering new antibiotics fast enough to outpace resistance. His research has helped pioneer AI-driven antibiotic discovery, dramatically accelerating the search for promising preclinical candidates from years to hours and opening new possibilities for treating infections that are increasingly untreatable. More broadly, his work has helped redefine the code of life as an information-rich substrate that can be mined computationally to discover and design biomolecules with therapeutic function. De la Fuente has received numerous distinctions, including the Princess of Girona Prize, the Fleming Prize, a Sloan Research Fellowship, and an honorary doctorate from the University of León. He is also among the youngest fellows elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He has delivered hundreds of invited talks and authored around 200 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals.

César said: "I am deeply honored to receive the Biochemical Society 2027 Significant Breakthrough or Achievement Award. To me, this recognition reflects a profound shift in how we understand biology: not only as a science of observation, but increasingly as a science of information - something we can decode, search, and ultimately harness to solve some of the most urgent challenges facing humanity.

At a time when antimicrobial resistance is rising across the world, I hope this award helps bring attention to these emerging frontiers, inspires the next generation of scientists, and moves us closer to a future in which the world’s biological data become a searchable resource for discovering life-saving therapeutics."

Photo credit: Martí E. Berenguer

The Established Educator Teaching Excellence Award will be presented to Dr Ana Costa-Pereira in 2027. Ana is an Associate Professor at Imperial College London. Her academic and scientific trajectory reflects a distinguished and classical progression in the life sciences: a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry, followed by a PhD in Biochemistry at University College Cork (Ireland), postdoctoral research at what is now The Francis Crick Institute, and a tenured appointment at Imperial College London since 2005. She also holds an MEd in University Teaching and Learning from Imperial. At Imperial, she combines research and teaching in cancer biology and immunology with a strong commitment to educational innovation and to embedding equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into curriculum design and delivery. She has played a leading role in designing and implementing pioneering courses and programmes informed by cutting-edge pedagogical research, aimed at enhancing student learning and responding to societal needs. Uniquely, despite her scientific background, she leads the Humanities and Social Sciences portfolio at Imperial, overseeing the majority of the university’s co- and extra-curricular educational offerings. She serves on numerous senior committees within the Department of Surgery & Cancer, where she co-chairs the Strategic Education Committee, as well as across the University, including the Education & Student Experience Committee and Senate.

Ana said: "I am incredibly honoured to receive the Established Educator Teaching Excellence Award from the Biochemical Society. This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects both my passion for scientific research and my commitment to educating the scientists and science professionals of the future. It is also deeply personal: as an undergraduate STEM student, the Biochemical Society was the very first scientific society I joined. Its publications played a formative role in my education, and I was an enthusiastic reader from the start. To be recognised by the Society now feels profoundly special."

The Early Career Teaching Excellence Award will be presented to Dr Stefano Sandrone in 2027. Stefano is an Italian neuroscientist, an award-winning educator and educationalist, and a global leader in neuroscience and neurology education. He has pioneered new teaching and learning approaches, including the curricular integration of active learning and the flipped classroom for both in-person and online learning, the exploration of identity development and the study of emotions and feelings across career stages. Additionally, he has championed the use of augmented reality, virtual reality and the metaverse in medical education. He works at Imperial College London and has written three books, including Nobel Life: Conversations with 24 Nobel Laureates on their life stories, advice for future generations and what remains to be discovered (Cambridge University Press). Stefano’s educational excellence, teaching innovations and scholarly publications have had a remarkable global impact. He won the National Teaching Fellowship awarded by Advance HE, the Science Educator Award presented by the Society for Neuroscience, the A. B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award (twice) from the American Academy of Neurology, the Miriam Friedman Ben-David Award from the Association for Medical Education in Europe and the Distinguished Neurology Teacher Award (youngest winner and the first European to win this award) from the American Neurological Association.

Stefano said: "I am incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious award! The Biochemical Society epitomises a powerful fusion of history and innovation. I will make the most of its enduring legacy. I am committed to extending it by continuing to mentor the next generations of scientists with enthusiasm and passion!"

The Biochemical Society Award for Sustained Excellence will be presented to Professor Elton Zeqiraj in 2027. Elton is Professor of Structural Biology and a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, where he leads a research group in the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology. He completed his BSc at the University of Westminster before undertaking a PhD at the University of Dundee, where his landmark work elucidated the structure of the LKB1 tumour suppressor complex. After postdoctoral research at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, he established his independent laboratory in Leeds in 2016 with a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship.

His research focuses on understanding how multi-protein complexes regulate ubiquitin signalling, DNA damage repair, and energy metabolism, using an interdisciplinary approach spanning structural and chemical biology, and biochemistry. A recent breakthrough was the discovery of first-in-class molecular glue inhibitors of the BRISC deubiquitylase complex, potentially opening new therapeutic avenues for autoimmune diseases. His work has also elucidated the fundamental molecular mechanisms governing glycogen synthesis and its regulation, revising textbook understanding in this area and providing new insights for rare glycogen storage diseases. Beyond research, Elton is a dedicated mentor who has nurtured the careers of numerous students and early-career researchers.

Elton said: "I am truly honoured to receive the Biochemical Society Award for Sustained Excellence. This recognition reflects not just my efforts but the dedication, creativity, and hard work of every member of my research team, past and present, and the many collaborators who have made our discoveries possible.

I could not have imagined the opportunities that science would open up for me, and I hope this award inspires others to pursue careers in the molecular biosciences. Looking ahead, this recognition gives us tremendous momentum as we work to translate our fundamental discoveries into new treatments and continue to push the boundaries of how we understand cell signalling in health and disease."

Photo credit: Dan Mao, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

The Centenary Award will be presented to Professor Matthew Freeman in 2027. Matthew is the Head of the Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford. After a PhD from Imperial College, London, he did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned to the UK to establish his own group at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, where he became Head of the Division of Cell Biology, before moving in 2013 to Oxford to lead the Dunn School.

His group originally worked on developmental genetics in Drosophila, but the long-term focus on cell signalling mechanisms steered the lab towards the cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and structural biology of membrane proteins, with a specific focus on the rhomboid-like superfamily of proteases and pseudoproteases, which they discovered. Although primarily driven by fundamental discovery science, his group’s work has the goal of revealing principles relevant to human disease. Recently, this has included insights into inflammation, immunity and cancer.

Matthew Freeman has chaired the British Society of Developmental Biology, the Company of Biologists, and EMBO Council. He is a member of EMBO, and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences. 

Matthew said: "It’s a huge honour to receive the Centenary Award, especially when I look through the illustrious list of previous recipients.
We do not do science for awards but, honestly, recognition by peers and colleagues is lovely! Of course, the real credit for the research that my lab has done belongs to the many really outstanding past and current students and postdocs with whom I have had the privilege to work.

I started my scientific life as a biochemistry student and have since moved between genetics, developmental biology and cell biology. More recently, I have increasingly returned to biochemistry, so it's a particular pleasure to receive an award from the Biochemical Society."

The Colworth Medal will be awarded to Dr Tom Deegan in 2027. Tom’s research has focussed on understanding how eukaryotic cells faithfully replicate their chromosomes. He studied biochemistry at the University of Oxford before undertaking his PhD with John Diffley at CRUK Clare Hall Laboratories, where he defined the molecular basis of a key step in replicative helicase assembly during DNA replication initiation.

In 2015, he moved to the University of Dundee to work with Karim Labib, turning his attention to the poorly understood final stages of DNA replication. His work there uncovered a new pathway for DNA replication termination and established the mechanism and regulation of replisome disassembly. In collaboration with Joe Yeeles (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology), he also determined structures of the eukaryotic replisome bound to the E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for replisome disassembly, revealing a conserved mechanism that resolved a longstanding question in the field.

In 2021, he established his independent research group at the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh, where his lab investigates replication termination, replicative helicase assembly, and how the replisome responds to challenges during DNA replication.

His work has been recognised through membership of the EMBO Young Investigator Programme and the 2023 Biochemical Society Early Career Research Award.

Tom said: "I am delighted to receive the Colworth Medal from the Biochemical Society and very honoured to join such an inspiring group of past recipients. I would especially like to recognise the contributions of my lab members, colleagues and collaborators, and to thank the outstanding mentors I have been lucky to work with at CRUK Clare Hall Laboratories, the University of Dundee and the MRC HGU. This recognition is hugely motivating for my lab and will inspire us to keep tackling challenging scientific problems in the years ahead."

One of the Early Career Research Awards for 2027 will be presented to Dr Helen Foster. Helen studied Biological Sciences (Molecular Biology Honours) at the University of Edinburgh for my undergraduate degree. This included a year abroad, where she studied at UC Santa Barbara, and an undergraduate research project in the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, which is where the fascination with understanding cellular processes at the molecular level really began.

Soon after this (at the end of 2014), Helen joined Andrew Carter’s lab at the MRC-LMB in Cambridge, initially as a research assistant then as a PhD student. Helen was incredibly lucky to be at the right place at the right time, and was able to use newly developed cryo-EM methods to understand the regulation of microtubule motor protein complexes and the organization of the neuronal environment in which they function. Towards the end of her time there, she was awarded the Max Perutz Student Prize (in 2019). 

For her postdoctoral research, Helen joined Gaia Pigino’s lab, initially based at the MPI-CBG in Dresden and then the Human Technopole in Milan. While there, Helen worked to understand how motile cilia, which contain a highly organized microtubule cytoskeleton, are constructed. In August 2025, Helen joined the Astbury Centre for Structural Biology at University of Leeds, where she is working to understand how cytoskeletal remodeling and intracellular trafficking are regulated during immune responses.

Helen said: "I am delighted and incredibly honoured to receive an Early Career Award from the Biochemical Society. Receiving this recognition is really motivating for me to continue tackling difficult problems using structural cell biology and I hope it will highlight the work in my newly established lab, which focusses on understanding the molecular basis of how our immune responses are controlled."

One of the Early Career Research Awards for 2027 will be presented to Dr Laura Lorenzo-Orts. Laura was born in Valencia, Spain. During her time at high school, she developed an interest in biology, deciding to study it as an undergraduate at the University of Valencia. It was during this time that she discovered the invisible yet powerful molecular mechanisms that plants use to respond to developmental and environmental stimuli. Fascinated by this subject, she went on to complete a Master's degree in Plant Biology and Biotechnology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, having received a fellowship from La Caixa Foundation. Eager to expand her expertise, Laura joined Michael Hothorn’s lab at the University of Geneva, where she studied phosphate metabolism using a combination of in vivo, biochemical, and structural approaches. However, an unexpected finding during her PhD sparked her interest in post-transcriptional gene regulation, a topic she pursued further during her postdoctoral research in Andi Pauli's lab at the IMP in Vienna, for which she received several postdoctoral fellowships. There, she combined in vivo approaches in zebrafish with in vitro methods to investigate the mechanisms that repress the translational machinery in eggs. Since February 2026, she has been a group leader at IMB Mainz, focusing on understanding the mechanisms that activate mRNAs during early development.

Laura said: "As my research lies at the intersection of biochemistry and developmental biology, I have often felt like an outsider when attending conferences dedicated to either of these subjects. This award validates the research I am passionate about and encourages me to continue integrating these approaches to elucidate the intricate molecular mechanisms that govern early development in my own group.”

One of the Early Career Research Awards for 2027 will be presented to Dr Mauricio P. Contreras. Mauricio is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he completed his BSc and MSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires in 2017. After research internships at INGEBI-CONICET in Buenos Aires, Imperial College London, and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) in Norwich, he started his PhD in 2019 in the lab of Prof. Sophien Kamoun, focusing on the biochemical mechanisms of activation and autoinhibition of plant NLR immune receptor networks. He also used structural biology to understand the strategies by which plant pathogens interfere with immune receptor activation.

Upon completing his PhD in 2023, he continued as a postdoc in the Kamoun lab, extending his skillset to cryo-EM. His work, in collaboration with colleagues at TSL, led to the first structure of a resting state plant helper NLR, revealing a new autoinhibition mechanism for plant immune receptors. In 2025, Mauricio established his independent research group as a Junior Group Leader at the Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, where his laboratory integrates biochemistry, structural biology, and evolutionary analyses to understand plant immune receptor mechanistic and structural diversity.

Mauricio said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award from the Biochemical Society and to have my name listed alongside so many scientists that I look up to and admire. Importantly, the achievements this award recognises would not have been possible without the support of many inspiring mentors, collaborators and friends, to whom I am deeply grateful.”

The Inspiration and Resilience Award will be presented to Dr Mootaz Salman in 2027. Mootaz is a Group Leader in Cellular Neuroscience and an MRC Fellow at the University of Oxford and the British Heart Foundation (BHF)/ UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) Centre for Vascular Dementia (CVDR), where he leads a multidisciplinary research programme at the interface of neurovascular biology, neurodegeneration, disease modelling and translational neuroscience.

His work has defined fundamental biochemical mechanisms governing water transport in the human brain, establishing aquaporin-4 (AQP4) trafficking as a key regulator of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and cerebral oedema. By uncovering how dynamic subcellular relocalisation of AQP4 controls membrane water permeability, he has identified a previously unrecognised and pharmacologically tractable pathway linking cellular organisation to pathological fluid accumulation in brain injury and neurodegeneration.

Dr Salman develops advanced human models of the brain using patient-derived stem cells, CRISPR genome engineering, organ-on-a-chip technologies, and brain organoids to capture complex neurovascular interactions. His work bridges fundamental biochemical discovery and neurobiological mechanisms with clinical translation, with the goal of targeting vascular dysfunction as a primary driver of neurological diseases.

His scientific trajectory reflects a strong commitment to advancing research despite significant personal and environmental challenges, alongside a deep commitment to mentoring early-career scientists and fostering inclusive research environments.

Mootaz said: "I am deeply honoured to receive this award. For me, resilience is not just about overcoming challenges, but about turning them into momentum for science, for people, and for the next generation. It is about moving forward with purpose and using those experiences to shape better questions, stronger science, and more supportive environments. This recognition reflects not only my journey, but also the people and communities that made it possible. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing ambitious research while building a culture where others can thrive and realise their potential.”

The International Award will be presented to Professor Arun Kumar Shukla in 2027. Arun studied biotechnology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi followed by a PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany with Professor Hartmut Michel (Nobel Laureate, 1988). Subsequently, he moved to Duke University in North Carolina to carry out his post-doctoral research with Professor Robert J. Lefkowitz (Nobel Laureate, 2012) in a close collaboration with Professor Brian Kobilka (Nobel Laureate, 2021) at the Standford University. Professor Shukla moved to the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India to establish a cutting-edge research program focused on structure and function of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest class of cell surface receptors in the human genome and important therapeutic targets. The long-term goal of his research is to understand the fundamental principles of GPCR activation, signaling, and regulation in order to design novel therapeutics with minimized side-effects for various human disorders. He has pioneered the research direction focused on membrane protein structural biology in India, and his constant advocacy at multiple levels has been instrumental in establishing and strengthening the infrastructure and focus on this research domain in the country. Professor Shukla’s takes a great deal of pride in mentorship, and he has mentored many students and post-doctoral fellows in his career. Several of his students have now taken up independent positions at academic institutions and industry ventures in India and abroad. 

Arun said: "I am absolutely delighted to receive this award. This is a recognition of the work carried out by the students and fellows in our laboratory. They are the real superstars and deserve all the credit. I am very thankful to the funding agencies who have supported our research program over the years, and also the host institution - IIT Kanpur – a truly outstanding place to do cutting-edge research in India. This award motivates our research team to continue our mission to decipher the fundamental principles of signal-transduction in cells and leverage this information to hopefully design better drugs."

The Research Support Award will be presented to Helen Elwood and Paul Knobbs in 2027. 

Paul has a degree in Geography (from Leicester) and an MBA (from Aston). Before entering the formal world of work, Paul had jobs in a fruit and veg shop, a corner shop, a cheese factory, a strawberry farm, and a clay pigeon shooting club. All foundational experience in developing his customer service skills. Until accepting the role of manager of Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME), he spent his career in various fundraising and project management roles, all in the public sector. He has worked in Local Government, Government Quangos and, most recently, in higher education. In his current role, Paul is responsible for date to day operations-, short-, medium- and long-term strategy and planning, internal and external profile raising and maintenance, whatever the Directors ask, making cups of tea, and everything else you can think of. Managing a new research institute is much like managing a hi-tech start-up.

Helen is Lab Manager at the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University, where she leads the operation of a multidisciplinary research laboratory. With a background in biology and experience across community pharmacy, aseptic production and academic labs. As a mature student (BSc Biological Sciences Wolverhampton 2018) she is grateful for the opportunity to build a career within AIME’s new research institute. She has contributed to the development of AIME’s laboratories and is focused on enabling high-quality research, while championing the visibility, recognition, and career development of technical professionals in science.

Helen and Paul said: "We thank our institute colleagues for nominating us. This award is a great honour. It is reflection of the collaborative and supportive environment within our research Institute. It highlights the value of technical and support roles, particularly female technicians, within the research environment. This award comes at an exciting time for AIME as we move into our brand-new lab."

The Industry and Academic Collaboration Award will be presented to Professor Asier Unciti-Broceta in 2027. Asier studied Pharmacy (MPharm, 1999) and did a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry (2004) with Prof Antonio Espinosa at the Universidad de Granada, Spain. After a Chemical Biology postdoc with Prof Mark Bradley (School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, 2005-08) and a Scottish Enterprise PoC award to develop and be trained in IP protection and commercialisation (2008-10), he took a group leader position in 2010 at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer to create its first chemistry lab. In parallel, he founded Deliverics Ltd and worked as CSO for 4 years. He was promoted to Reader in 2015 and Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in 2018. His lab focuses on the development of novel chemical strategies to improve the efficacy and safety of cancer treatment, including novel prodrug approaches and small molecule kinase inhibitors. In collaboration with Prof Neil Carragher, his lab discovered the clinical candidate eCF506/NXP900, a first-in-class switch-control SRC inhibitor licensed to Nuvectis Pharma and currently in clinical trials. Among his recognitions, his team received the CRH Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award 2024 - Further, Faster, Together - for their collaboration with industry to bring NXP900 to the clinic and he received the RSC BMCS Lectureship Award 2025.

Asier said: "I am delighted and truly honoured for receiving the Industry and Academic Collaboration Award 2027 of the Biochemical Society. This recognition makes me particularly happy because it rewards the core philosophy that drives the research in my lab: the exploration and discovery of innovative drug candidates and therapeutic modalities to fight human disease and the partnership with industry to translate academic results into healthcare and societal impact."

The Sir Philip Randle Lecture will be presented to Professor Daniel Tennant in 2027. Daniel is Professor of Biochemistry and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Governance and Integrity) at the University of Birmingham. He graduated with a BA in Natural Sciences and an MSci in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2001 and 2002, respectively. He then moved to the University of Manchester, where he completed his PhD in 2005 studying diabetic neuropathy under the supervision of Professors Caroline Dive and David Tomlinson, developing a keen interest in hypoxia and its metabolic consequences.
In 2005, Dan joined what is now known as the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, working with Professor Eyal Gottlieb on hypoxia, metabolism, and oxygen-sensing prolyl hydroxylases. In 2011, he established his own research group at the University of Birmingham, focused on understanding how cells rewire their metabolism to survive hostile microenvironments. His laboratory uses stable isotope tracing approaches to dissect metabolic reprogramming driven by hypoxia and genetic pseudohypoxia, applying fundamental insights to understand the pathogenesis of diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. Dan directs the Metabolic Tracer Analysis Core (MTAC) and collaborates with groups worldwide. 

Daniel said: "I am deeply honoured to receive the Sir Philip Randle Lecture from the Biochemical Society. Sir Philip was a towering figure in mammalian metabolism whose pioneering work fundamentally shaped our understanding of how cells select and utilise metabolic fuels in health and disease. To be recognised by an award that bears his name, and to join the distinguished list of previous recipients, is truly humbling. However, this prize is also a reflection of the dedication and creativity of every member of my research group, past and present, as well as the many mentors and collaborators who have supported me along the way. Receiving this award strengthens my commitment to pushing the boundaries of our understanding of metabolic reprogramming in health and disease, and to translating these fundamental insights into meaningful advances for patients. I look forward to presenting the lecture and to continuing to build on Sir Philip's extraordinary legacy in the years ahead."