At a gala ceremony held under Rubens’s magnificent 17th-century painted ceiling at London’s historic Banqueting House, scientific luminaries, leading British academics, business leaders, and diplomats gathered to celebrate the 2026 Laureates and Finalists of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom.
Hosted by Sir Leonard Blavatnik (Len Blavatnik), the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences, the ceremony highlighted the extraordinary achievements of early-career scientists whose pioneering research is advancing discoveries across the Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences & Engineering in the UK. The evening highlighted a central message: investing in early-career scientists is an investment in the future of discovery.
Recognizing the Power of Early-Career Scientists
Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, who served as the evening’s presenter, noted the importance of supporting scientists early in their careers: “These Awards recognize scientists at a pivotal moment in their careers,” said Prentice. “The work of these researchers demonstrates not only exceptional creativity and rigor, but also the enormous potential of young scientists to transform their fields and address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.”
A Global Program with Increasing Impact
Now in its twentieth year, the Blavatnik Awards program has honored more than 500 scientists from over 120 institutions worldwide. Since launching in the United Kingdom in 2018, the Blavatnik Awards have received more than 800 nominations from over 100 institutions across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, reflecting the country’s depth of scientific excellence.
Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of the Academy, reflected on the program’s measurable economic impact. “In the UK, Blavatnik Scholars have transformed $4.5 million in prize funding into $33 million in capital raised and have founded two companies following receipt of their Awards.” Worldwide, Blavatnik Awards honorees have founded more than 50 companies that have collectively raised over $2.8 billion in capital, demonstrating that investment in fundamental research can drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and new technologies.
Dirks also mentioned the Awards’ growing recognition in mainstream popular culture, referencing the appearance of the Blavatnik Awards in Dan Brown’s (author of The Da Vinci Code) latest best-selling thriller, The Secret of Secrets.
Honoring the 2026 Laureates
This year’s ceremony also marked a remarkable milestone: for the second time in the history of the Blavatnik Awards UK, all three Laureates were women. Laureates were awarded £100,000 (US$135,000), the largest unrestricted prizes available to early-career scientists in the United Kingdom.
Meet the 2026 Laureates
Chemical Sciences: Prof. Maxie M. Roessler, Imperial College London, is a bioinorganic chemist uncovering the hidden steps in fundamental life-sustaining processes such as cellular energy production. Her pioneering electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques reveal fleeting electron states that could inform future chemical research, from catalysts to new materials.
Life Sciences: Dr. Thi Hoang Duong (Kelly) Nguyen, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, is decoding how telomerase — the enzyme that protects chromosome ends — functions during DNA replication. Her work, using cryo-electron microscopy to produce the first atomic-level model of telomerase, opens doors for therapeutics targeting telomerase in premature aging and cancer.
Physical Sciences & Engineering: Dr. Paolo Pinilla, University College London, is an astrophysicist studying the earliest stages of planet formation. By combining telescope observations with advanced modeling, she is identifying structures in protoplanetary discs that trap dust, showing how planets, and potentially water and life’s building blocks, form across the universe.
Recognizing the Finalists
In addition to the three Laureates honored during the ceremony, six outstanding researchers were recognized as Finalists, representing institutions across the UK, including the first honoree from Wales. Each received £30,000 (US$40,400).
The 2026 Finalists are Dr. Michael J. Booth (University College London), Prof. Radha Boya (The University of Manchester), Prof. Nicholas R. Casewell (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), Prof. Mathew H. Horrocks (The University of Edinburgh), Dr. Pontus Skoglund (The Francis Crick Institute), and Dr. Iestyn Woolway (Bangor University).
Leading with Discovery
The following morning, on February 25, 2026, the 2026 Laureates and Finalists presented their research to academics, science enthusiasts, high school students, and members of the public at the annual Blavatnik Awards UK symposium, this year entitled “Leading with Discovery: UK Scientists Shaping Global Science.”
The nomination period for the 2027 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists opened on Wednesday, 11th March. Learn more.
