Category: Prizes (Page 1 of 2)

A list of the announcements of the winners of the various doctoral student prizes that are awarded by King’s College London.

Announcing the January 2025 winners of the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize

Each year the King’s Doctoral College gives out a limited number of awards to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King’s doctoral students. The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College’s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board. There are two rounds, in January and June, and these are the winners from the first round in January 2025. The winners are:

Arts and Humanities:

Dr Mary Ann Vargas

Thesis Title: Re-enacting home away from home

Instagram: @two-three-four studio

I ventured into academic pursuits after a very informal conversation with Professor Catherine Boyle in 2007. I remember clearly that I had somehow managed to get into King’s building on the Strand with a sleeping puppy tucked inside my coat. There were no security barriers back then. It was the first time I had seen somebody (Catherine) drawing spider diagrams, whilst immersed in a conversation about my professional life in the theatre in Peru, my training during the civil war and life in South London with two bilingual children and a British partner.  The first conceptual bridge that emerged was the practice of translation.

Months later, I began an MA in Translation Studies at King’s. I focused on material written and performed during Peru’s civil conflict (1980-2000). The first task would be to translate a bundle of these texts that became central to my MA and future investigations. Around this time, I also joined the Out of the Wings collective. In 2018, a successful PhD proposal to the Language Acts and Worldmaking project made it possible to begin an enquiry which evolved simply as an attempt to use performance practices as tools and methodological springboards to re-enact the sense of belonging experienced by migrant and ethnic communities living and working in South London.  Research began before the pandemic, in tandem with the announcement and eventual demolition of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre, the largest Lain American hub south of the river, now razed to the ground. My overriding desire, beyond the thesis, was to create a model for an annual collaborative event, ideally itinerant, to consolidate migrant and ethnic communities’ presence in London, both on stage and beyond.

I am currently in the process of setting up a multi-disciplinary art-based research hub in Peckham, two-three-four studio (website in construction).

Find out more about the Barrio Project on my website.

Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences:

Dr Claire McCarthy

Thesis title: A Comparative Analysis of Aerosol Mitigation and Operational Performance in Ultrasonic Devices using Modified Coolants

I am honoured to receive a King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I would like to sincerely thank my examiners, supervisors, and the panel for this recognition.

Claire McCarthy, one of the winners of the 2025 Outstanding Thesis PrizeMy journey in dentistry began with dental nursing in 1995, followed by a qualification in dental hygiene in 2000 from Trinity College Dublin. I completed a master’s degree in Higher Education in 2007. I have taught at King’s College London for over two decades, leading the BDS Years 1 and 2 Periodontology programmes for eight years prior to commencing my PhD.

My doctoral research focused on developing a novel real-time method for detecting and reducing aerosol generation during ultrasonic instrumentation. Using a bespoke environmental chamber, high-speed imaging, and laser particle sensors, I evaluated the efficacy of a modified coolant in reducing sub-10-micron aerosol particles. This work led to three international patents, secured approximately £500,000 in research funding, and expanded into a wider research programme investigating ultrasonic scaler performance and implant decontamination.

Throughout my PhD, I received outstanding support and guidance from Professor Michael Fenlon and Professor Luigi Nibali. During this time, I presented my research at international conferences, received an education award, was shortlisted for early two career researcher awards, and continued to represent King’s College London on international platforms as an invited speaker and collaborator with industry and professional bodies.

Following my PhD, I continue as a Research Fellow and Clinical Teacher at King’s College London, leading research initiatives in aerosol mitigation and ultrasonic technology.  I chair the Accreditation Committee for the Irish Dental Council, serve as external assessor for MFHEA, completed three terms on the Council of the BSDHT, and serve on the editorial board of the International Journal of Dental Hygiene.

If you would like to find out more about my research, you can find me on LinkedIn.

Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine:

Dr Daniel Cromb

X (Twitter): @dancromb

Thesis Title: Placental and early brain development in congenital heart disease.

Prior to studying medicine, I did an MPhys degree in Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics, followed by an MSc in Biomedical Imaging, and then spent a year working as a research assistant at the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences at the Insitute of Psychiatry (KCL). I graduated as a medic in 2013 and started paediatricDan Cromb, a winner of a 2025 Outstanding Thesis Prize training in 2016. I did an Academic Clinical Fellowship in the Centre for the Developing Brain in 2018 as a paediatric SHO before returning in 2021 to start my PhD.

During my PhD, titled “Placental and Early Brain Development in Congenital Heart Disease”, I was lucky enough to present my work at several international conferences, including the ISMRM (International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine) conference in Toronto, where I was awarded the Summa Cum Laude merit award for our work assessing MRI brain volumes in fetuses with congenital heart disease, and at the FITN’G (Fetal, Infant and Toddler Neuroimaging Group) conference in Paris, where I won a Young Investigator award for our work investigating placental function in congenital heart disease. I was also awarded a £5,000 ISMRM research grant to collaborate with a research group at the University Medical Centre, Utrecht (UMCU), studying the association between placental abnormalities and brain growth.

Since completing my PhD I have returned to clinical paediatric training full-time, and have taken on roles as an associate editor at the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, and as the President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Paediatric and Child Health section. I plan on combining my academic and clinical interests going forward. Find out more about my research on Google Scholar

Personal website: www.dancromb.co.uk

Dr Lucy Durham

Thesis Title: Comparison of skin and joint inflammation in psoriatic arthritis

I am Lucy, I was awarded a PhD in immunology of rheumatic diseases by King’s College London in September 2024 and am currently working as a Medical Director in Rheumatology at AstraZeneca.

Lucy Durham, winner of a 2025 Outstanding Thesis PrizeI started my career in clinical medicine in rheumatology, before starting a PhD at KCL in the Centre for Cell Biology and Cancer Immunology (CIBCI) under the supervision of Professors Leonie Taams and Bruce Kirkham. My research focussed on psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory joint disease affecting about 30% of people with the inflammatory skin condition psoriasis. We explored the hypothesis that similar immune cells cause inflammation in both the skin and joint and analysed samples from patients with psoriatic arthritis to compare immune responses at these locations.

My experience was characterised by brilliant supervisors, wonderful colleagues in the lab and the rheumatology clinic, and the intellectually stimulating and collaborative environment of CIBCI. My PhD took 6 years due to two parental leaves, re-deployment to the NHS during the COVID pandemic and a transition to part-time working, and the support from my supervisors and colleagues was invaluable throughout.

Towards the end of my PhD, I wanted to explore different career paths. With guidance from the KCL Careers service and my supervisors, I secured a UKRI policy internship at the Health and Social Care Select Committee in the UK Parliament. This secondment provided insights into policy-making and the interaction between public/private sectors and policymakers. Subsequently, I was awarded a 12-month MRC-AstraZeneca industry partnership fellowship and divided my time between research at KCL and early clinical development at AstraZeneca. Combining my experience in rheumatology and immunology, I contributed to early phase trials in the rheumatology therapy area. The rewarding fellowship experience led to my current role as Medical Director in Rheumatology at AstraZeneca.

Dr Daniel Youkee

Thesis Title: The Impact of Stroke in Sierra Leone: Stroke register methodology in a low-income country setting.

Dan Youkee, a winner of the 2025 Outstanding Thesis PrizeDr Dan Youkee moved to Sierra Leone in 2014 to work for the King’s Global Health Partnership in Sierra Leone during the West Africa Ebola outbreak.  He has lived and worked in Sierra Leone since then, his PhD is entitled “The impact of stroke in Sierra Leone – stroke register methodology in low resource settings”. His PhD provided the first high quality evidence on stroke epidemiology and care in Sierra Leone, where severe strokes are affecting young previously fully functional people and leading to high mortality and significant impact on health-related quality of care. Demonstrating the impact of stroke in Sierra Leone led to the Ministry of Health incorporating the establishment of stroke units nationwide into the Non-Communicable Disease Strategic Plan. In 2022, leveraging a south-south partnership with Ghana, the first stroke unit was opened at Connaught Teaching Hospital in Sierra Leone, delivering improved multidisciplinary stroke care. In 2024 stroke unit care was cascaded regionally, with Kenema Government Hospital stroke unit opening and further roll out across the country planned. Dr Youkee plans to continue working to improve stroke services winning a NIHR Global Advanced Fellowship entitled “Pathways to equitable care in Sierra Leone and South Africa”.

You can find out more about his research on LinkedIn.

Dr Milou Pertronella Martina Van Poppel

Thesis Title: Antenatal diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta using fetal cardiovascular MRI

Prior to my PhD, I studied Medicine (Utrecht University) and undertook internships in hospitals in the Netherlands, Thailand, Nepal and Uganda. During my MSc I was introduced to the field of paediatric cardiology. An Early Investigators’ award allowed me to gain more experience and join the iFIND project at KCL which aimed to improve antenatal imaging using ultrasound, MRI and artificial intelligence. As a clinical research fellow, I was involved in setting up a novel clinical fetal cardiac MRI service in the UK, using motion-correction allowing 3D visualisation of the fetal heart. To date over 700 scans have been performed.

Working in this multidisciplinary environment motivated me to pursue a PhD in fetal cardiovascular imaging. My research focussed on the antenatal diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta using fetal CMR. New insights in vascular morphology and fetal circulation received international recognition and I was awarded three prizes at conferences. I was also actively involved in public engagement during my PhD, and I became a Brilliant Club tutor, supporting less advantaged pupils develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to access a competitive university.

After completing my PhD, I moved to the Netherlands to pursue clinical work in paediatrics while continuing various research projects at KCL. I aspire to combine both academic and clinical roles,  providing patient-centred clinical care while conducting research to improve child health from fetal life to adulthood.

This PhD has been an incredibly rewarding experience and it’s an honour to receive this award. I’d like to thank my examiners, colleagues, research participants and especially my PhD supervisors (dr Pushparajah, dr Lloyd, prof Razavi) for their unwavering support. Working in the new, exciting field of fetal CMR has been an adventure and I look forward to seeing further developments in this promising field.

Find out more about my research via ORCID  and on LinkedIn.

Dr Alice Hurrell

Twitter: @alice_hurrell

Thesis Title: Placental growth factor-based repeat testing in suspected preterm preeclampsia

I am delighted to have received an Outstanding Thesis Prize for my PhD thesis, Placental growth factor-based repeat testing in suspected preterm pre-eclampsia. Dr Alice Hurrell, a 2025 winner of the King's Outstanding Thesis Prize.I owe this completely to my outstanding supervisors, Professor Lucy Chappell, Dr Louise Webster, and Professor Andrew Shennan – demonstrated by Lucy winning a Supervisor Excellence Award in 2024. This has undoubtedly been the best experience in my career to date, and I am acutely aware what a privilege it has been to work with such inspirational supervisors. 

 

For my PhD, I was the trial coordinator for the PARROT-2 trial, an individualised randomised controlled trial of repeat placental growth factor-based testing for suspected preterm pre-eclampsia, in 1,253 pregnant women and birthing people in 22 maternity units in England, Scotland and Wales. This demonstrated that repeat placental growth factor-based testing is not associated with maternal or perinatal benefit. This has implications for policy and practice; universal, routine repeat testing, as recommended by some international groups, is not supported by our findings. These results should further lower the barriers to widespread equitable adoption of initial placental growth factor testing.

I had the opportunity to present these findings at international conferences, including the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society, and the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy World Congress, where I was awarded the Best Oral Presentation prize and a Young Investigator Award. I was also awarded the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Harold Malkin prize, for outstanding original work.

I am currently an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at King’s College London, working on the NIHR PAPAGAIO Global Health Group, investigating placental growth factor and planned early delivery for pre-eclampsia in Sierra Leone, Zambia, India and Brazil. I am passionate about improving outcomes for women and their babies through clinical research, and incredibly excited about the opportunity to work on this programme of research.

 

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience:

Dr Qutba Al Ghafri

Thesis Title: Barriers and facilitators to accessing drug use treatment services for people who use drugs from the perspective of service users and service providers in the Muslim world: A focus on the Sultanate of Oman.

Before starting my PhD, I worked in Oman as a mental health nurse and an academic faculty member. I have also been a volunteer in the local community spreading awareness about drug use and people who use drugs in Oman throughout my career.

My research at King’s College London focused on barriers and facilitators to accessing drug treatment services in Muslim-majority contexts, with a specific focus on theQutba Al Ghafri, one of the 2025 winners of the Outstanding Thesis Prize Sultanate of Oman. It has contributed to addressing the gap in drug use research in Muslim communities focusing on the socio-cultural, legal, and structural factors that impact access to drug treatment in the Muslim world and particularly in my home country, Oman. The findings advocate for the introduction of Opioid Substitution Therapy in Oman through a community-based, shared care model.

During my PhD, I received several awards, including the Best Presentation Prize (Manchester Metropolitan University Substance Use & Associated Behaviours Conference, 2021), Best Poster Design (Society for the Study of Addiction, 2022), and the Addictions Early Career Researcher Award (King’s College London, 2023). I presented my work internationally including London, Bristol, Manchester, Lisbon, Zurich, and Muscat. I have also published a systematic review on drug treatment access in Muslim countries (Al-Ghafri et al, 2023). Additionally, I have blogged for the Society for the Study of Addiction on addiction policy and research in Oman and networking and personal development.

Since completing my PhD, I have taken a faculty position at Oman College of Health Sciences, where I integrate my research into teaching on mental health and addiction. I am also engaging with national stakeholders to explore policy reforms based on my findings and have delivered workplace awareness sessions on addiction and employee well-being.

You can find out more about my work on LinkedIn or follow me on my X (Twitter)Account 

Dr Dina Farran

Thesis Title: Stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and co-morbid physical and mental health problems

I’m deeply honoured and delighted to receive the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize for 2024/25. This recognition marks a very special milestone in my academic journey.

Before beginning my PhD, I completed an MPH in Epidemiology at King’s and worked on several public health projects in Lebanon.

My PhD focused on stroke prevention in people with atrial fibrillation (AF) and serious mental illness. Using large-scale electronic health records, I explored how clinical   decision support systems could improve risk screening and enhance evidence-based care in mental health settings. This work led to the development and implementation of a digital intervention on inpatient mental health wards, alongside several peer-reviewed publications. The project has had real-world impact on how AF-related stroke risk is identified in underserved populations and has been recognised with multiple awards, including First Prize at the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ 2024 conference and a Prize Award at the EPSRC DRIVE-Health Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health Annual Symposium 2024.

Since completing my PhD, I’ve continued at King’s as a Research Associate, working on a project exploring metabolic interventions for serious mental illness. This exciting initiative involves co-producing and piloting novel interventions with people with lived experience to address the metabolic burden associated with mental illness.

I remain incredibly grateful to my PhD supervisors, Prof Fiona Gaughran and the late Dr Mark Ashworth, for their guidance, wisdom, and unwavering support throughout my doctoral studies. I would also like to extend my thanks to the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Data-Driven Health at King’s College London for funding and supporting my research.

If you would like to find out more about my research, you can find me on LinkedIn .

Dr Eileen Brobbin

Thesis Title: Harnessing wearable transdermal alcohol sensor devices for clinical use

I am honoured and grateful to have been awarded the Outstanding Thesis Prize. I am thankful for my supervisors’ support throughout this process; Prof Paolo Deluca, Prof Colin Drummond and Dr Stephen Parkin, to Prof Matt Field and Prof Tony Moss for the award nomination, and finally, to the NIHR for funding my PhD.

Prior, I completed the Addiction Science MSc at KCL. This sparked my interest specifically in substance use treatment. I was able to work as a Research Assistant on a large RCT, Alcohol Dependence and Medication Adherence (ADAM) trial. From this, I applied and continued my interest in improving and investigating novel substance treatment methods.

My PhD explored novel technology devices, transdermal alcohol sensors (TAS), as a tool to monitor alcohol consumption and to deliver contingency management (CM) for alcohol abstinence. This research expanded our current, limited knowledge of TAS devices and were the first TAS studies to include UK populations, specifically, NHS patients currently accessing alcohol treatment services. This PhD was also aided by Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and staff consultation throughout.

The main contributions of my PhD were filling gaps in knowledge on TAS accuracy, acceptability and feasibility. Furthering our understanding of TAS potential, their feasibility as an alcohol intervention within clinical populations and their ability to aid CM delivery. However, these findings have greater implications in terms of treatment within specialist alcohol settings (community, inpatient, hospital and private), not only for diagnosis and treatment but for alcohol-related diseases or alcohol-related transplants. This research has now started the initial steps needed for TAS use within UK alcohol services.

Since completing, I’ve continued my interest in technology substance use treatment. I am working on a project aiming to deliver, Virtual Reality enhanced cue exposure treatment for people with cocaine dependence.

Find Eileen on LinkedIn

Dickson Poon Faculty of Law:

Dr Shunqi Yang

Thesis Title: The regulation of dual-class shares and weighted voting rights: examining the Chinese corporate practices in the context of global capital markets law reform

I am truly honoured to have received the 2024/25 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize. While the award recognises my doctoral research, it is equally a tribute to the tremendous support and collaborative efforts of my supervisors, Professor Eva Lomnicka and Dr Lerong Lu. A research degree presents a distinct set of challenges and Shunqi Yang, a winner of the 2025 Outstanding Thesis Prizethe journey was by no means easy, but I was incredibly fortunate to be guided and supported throughout by Professor Lomnicka and Dr Lu. My thesis, The Regulation of Dual-Class Shares and Weighted Voting Rights: Examining Chinese Corporate Practices in the Context of Global Market Law Reforms, identifies systemic inconsistencies between reform goals and existing regulatory methodologies. I argue that coherent regulatory frameworks, rather than mere strictness, are essential for efficient capital markets.

Reflecting on my path, I realise that my interest in law began at a young age. One of my earliest impressions of a legal career came from watching television series featuring barristers powerfully advocating for their clients in court. During my undergraduate and postgraduate taught degrees, I had the opportunity to engage with leading scholars and explore complex legal reasoning. These experiences deepened my interest in law and strengthened my resolve to pursue further academic study. I am proud that my passion for legal research has only grown, and I remain committed to continuing my academic journey.

I currently hold a PhD in Law from King’s College London (2024), an MA in Law from the University of Bristol (2020), and both an LLB and a BA in English from Southwest University (2018). My academic background allows me to explore legal issues from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective, and I am eager to incorporate empirical methods into my future research.

Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences

Dr Alexander Vernon

Thesis Title: Electromagnetic field dark spots

Between 2016 and 2020 I studied electrical and electronic engineering at the University of Birmingham. When towards the end of my degree I realised that I didn’t want to be an engineer, being drawn more to the theory behind what I had been learning, I thought to try and apply for a PhD in physics.

While my degree did not give me a broad physics background, it did give me a good understanding of electromagnetism and so I was able to join the Photonics and Nanotechnology group at King’s. I finished my PhD in 2024 with my thesis “Electromagnetic field dark spots” which quite literally looks at the physics of darkness, like the way that energy flows around it, how the polarisation of surrounding light is organised, and how darkness can produce topologies that are immune to (the universal phenomenon of) diffraction.

After finishing my PhD I stayed on as a Postdoc at King’s for the rest of 2024 – I have since left King’s and I am aiming to start another Postdoc position abroad soon with one of the top experts in my field. I am also looking out for fellowship opportunities, as my PhD has given me several ideas that I am quite excited to explore.

Dr Yaoyu Ding

Thesis Title: Advancing Synthetic Strategies for Non-Ribosomal Cyclic Peptides: An Exploration of Facile Methodologies in Macrocyclisation

Winning this King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize is such an incredible honor! I feel so lucky to have had this amazing PhD at King’s College London, just right in the heart of this exciting city. A huge thanks to my examiners Prof Andrew Jamieson and Dr Manuela Tosin for the nomination, my supervisor Dr Sarah Barry and Dr Manuel Müller, brilliant 310, 210 lab mates and my families for their endless support.

Before coming to King’s, I earned my BSc in Pharmaceutical Engineering in China and MSc in Medicinal Chemistry at Cardiff. But my PhD here has been truly transformative where I grew up not just as a researcher in wet lab, but also as a problem-solver, communicator, and scientific thinker. Looking back, my PhD research focused on the ongoing global challenge: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR threatening modern medicine, novel antibiotics are urgently needed. Many promising naturally produced antibiotics have complex cyclic structures that are difficult to prepare synthetically. In my work, I explored a simple idea: using nature’s own amino acid sequences as a guide to efficiently produce cycles. This approach may offer a practical and facile path toward designing new antibiotics to tackle AMR. I am sincerely thankful for the chance to represent King’s at international conferences, where I could present my work and connect with amazing individuals from across the globe, enriching my perspective and broadening my world.

Now, I’m excited to continue my academic journey as a postdoc at The Rockefeller University. The skills and experiences from King’s will light my way forward. I’d be delighted to connect further: find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/yao-ding-760881256/. Thank you to everyone at King’s for this recognition — it’s truly a shared achievement.

Meet the winners of the second round of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize

Congratulations to the second round of winners of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize!

Each year a limited number of awards are given to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King’s doctoral students. The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College’s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board. There are two rounds, in January and June, and these are the winners from the second round in June 2023.

Meet our winners: 

Dr Jonathan Powell, Faculty of Arts and Humanities 

I am delighted and very grateful to have received this award, which would not have been possible without the support and kindness of some extraordinary people. In particular, the brilliance, patience, and guidance of my supervisor, Prof. Lucy Munro, was instrumental to the researching and writing of a thesis that looks very different to its original conception. My time at King’s has been backdropped – and to a large extent defined – by my work for the Centre for Early Modern Studies (CEMS), and I am grateful, too, to centre directors past and present for their trust and advice over the past four years. I am especially indebted to Dr Hannah Murphy, under whom it has been a privilege to learn and who has shaped my thinking in myriad ways. Thanks are also due to the Institute of Historical Research for their award of a doctoral fellowship, and to King’s more generally for the opportunity to pursue this research. 

My thesis proposed a new approach to early modern English theatrical history through the legal record, resulting in new understandings of how common law shaped theatrical consciousness during a period of extraordinary and still unsurpassed litigiousness. Key to this work was close readings of hundreds of Latin entries in the plea rolls of the common law court of King’s Bench, with a particular interest in the voices and experiences of many previously invisible women connected to England’s first commercial theatres. I have been fortunate enough to continue developing this aspect of my work through a pair of postdoctoral research fellowships: the first, a three-month position on the Leverhulme Trust-funded project ‘Engendering the Stage: The Records of Early Modern Performance’ (jointly based at King’s and the University of Roehampton), and now at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where I’m part of the ERC-funded FEATHERS project investigating early modern manuscript culture and the mediation of authorship. 

Dr Cathleen Hagemann, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial studies

Photo of Dr Cathleen Hagermann, winner of the 22/23 Outstanding Thesis Prize in Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial sciences

I studied biology at the University of Bonn and discovered my fascination with the brain and its intricate functions. To deepen my understanding, I continued my studies at the 

University of Tübingen, specializing in cellular and molecular neuroscience. During this time, my focus was on the molecular composition of the neuronal cytoskeleton, utilizing super-resolution microscopy and click-chemistry techniques. 

I was fortunate to join Andrea Serio’s lab for my PhD, where I applied bioengineering methods to model the relationship between cell shape and function in vitro, with a specific emphasis on neurons. Our primary goal was to create a platform enabling us to investigate how neurons adapt to varying axon lengths. By using this platform, we were able to uncover significant changes in biological processes that occur with an increase in axonal length. Notably, we found that homeostasis and metabolic processes undergo significant alterations when comparing 1cm long axons to shorter ones measuring 3mm in length. We were happy to share our findings by publishing this work in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Outside of my PhD research, I thoroughly enjoyed supervising students through the in2 science program, aiming to inspire others about the fascinating intersection between engineering and biology. 

Currently, I am actively using our platform to delve deeper into the intricacies and communication processes within neurons. Simultaneously, we are working on developing protocols that would enable biologists, even those without prior bioengineering knowledge, to utilize bioengineering tools. Our hope is that this effort will contribute to making cell culture-friendly devices more accessible to everyone, allowing for modifications and creations in this field. 

 

Dr Emma Williams, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

A photo of Dr Emma Williams, a winner of a 22/23 Outstanding Thesis Prize for Life Sciences and MedicineI qualified from University College London Medical School in 2013 and subsequently entered into a paediatric training programme in South London. Throughout my clinical training I developed a strong interest within the field of neonatal pulmonology which led me to undertake a PhD in neonatal respiratory physiology at King’s College London. My

research focused on newborn lung disease including the novel use of non-invasive monitoring techniques, pulmonary mechanics, and predictive models of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It was an honour to be awarded the Bengt Roberston award by the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR) in 2020 for research concerning the neonatal lung, and I was recently elected as a junior council member onto the ESPR pulmonology board.

As a clinician I remain determined to improve the clinical outcomes of newborn infants by combining my passion of academia with clinical medicine. I am currently undertaking a neonatal fellowship in Canada at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto – expanding my clinical experience, forming research collaborations, and gaining an international perspective on healthcare. It was a huge privilege to be awarded a King’s Outstanding Thesis Award and I would like to thank my supervisors (Professor Anne Greenough & Professor Theodore Dassios) for all their support throughout this journey, without whom none of this would have been possible.

A photo of Dr Luo Li, winner of the 22/23 Outstanding thesis prize in Law

 

Dr Luo Li, Faculty of Law

I am Luo Li, and have acquired my PhD degree this spring from School of Law, King’s College London. Before I came to King’s, I studied law for many years in China and acquired the PhD degree in Wuhan University, China. Thanks to my strong interest in legal research, I chose to continue my study in King’s since Oct, 2018. With Professor Ozlem Gurses’ patient guidance during these four and a half years, I made deep research into the topic of how the assured can be remedied for the insurer’s late payment by Section 13A of Insurance Act 2015. I also published two relevant papers, “Compound interest for late payment of the indemnity insurance claim” in British Insurance Law Association Journal, (2001) Issue 134 and “Reconsidering the reinsured’s damages and costs for late payment: a comparative analysis between English and American law” in Business Law Review, (2022) Issue 6. Now I have gone back to China and worked as an associate professor in Law School of Central China Normal University. 

 

Dr Julia Griem, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

It’s an honour to be awarded this prize and to have my doctoral work recognised by King’s College London. Thank you to everyone involved! I greatly enjoyed my time.

I studied Psychology (BSc, Royal Holloway) and Clinical Neuroscience (MSc, University College London) and was always planning to complete a PhD. This meant I spent valuable years before my PhD working as a research assistant – time I’d advise anybody wanting to complete a PhD to take! The RA work triggered my curiosity to study what is going on in the brains of people with personality disorders, and through the support of my colleague Dr John Tully, my supervisors Prof Nigel Blackwood and Prof Declan Murphy, and my funders the NIHR Maudsley BRC, I was able to pursue this for my PhD. I investigated the brain structure and function, as well as the impact of oxytocin, in males with a history of violent offending and antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy. I received the “Best Presentation” honourable mention award at the international congress of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy for parts of my PhD research.

I was also awarded funding to conduct some patient and public involvement work. Together with 2 colleagues, we spoke to individuals in probation, prison, as well as medium- and high-secure forensic hospitals with the goal to break down barriers between academia and the criminal justice system. This was very informative for future research planning and helped us understand what people with lived experience want more understanding about. A summary of this work can be found here.

I am now working as a postdoctoral research fellow at University College London, studying the computational behavioural and neurobiological features of borderline personality disorder and mood disorders.

Dr Jessica Mundy, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

A photo of Dr Jessica Mundy, a winner of a 22/23 Outstanding Thesis Prize in Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceI am delighted and grateful to be awarded an Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Prize. I would like to thank my examiners for nominating me, my supervisors for their support throughout my time at the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, and the Lord Leverhulme Trust who funded my research.  

Prior to starting the PhD, I studied Human Sciences at Oxford University. This is where my interest in population genetics began. As part of the 1+3 PhD, I completed the MSc in Genes, Environment, and Development in Psychology and Psychiatry, which paired research methods in statistical genetics with the study of psychopathology. My PhD thesis explored how we can use self-reported data to improve the phenotypes used in genome-wide association studies of mood disorders.   

  A highlight of my PhD was working with Helena Davies to set up a study that investigated how we can educate people with mental health disorders about genetic and environmental risk factors, which is an area close to my heart. Other highlights included teaching MSc students to use R for statistics and presenting at conferences/seminars. Finally, it was a brilliant experience to be part of the SGDP’s Anti-Racism Working Group, which includes some truly inspiring people who do such valuable work for the SGDP community and beyond.   

  After leaving King’s, I started as a post-doc at the Department for Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University, Denmark. Here, I research how we can use polygenic scores to predict clinical outcomes in people with major depressive disorder. I also research the issue of genetic confounding in epidemiological studies. Once I have finished my position in Aarhus, I will be joining a team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who research child and adolescent mental health in the UK.   

Dr Mary Tanay, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care

I am extremely honoured to have been awarded an outstanding thesis prize for my PhD in Nursing. This achievement would not have been possible without the motivation and support from my supervisors Prof Glenn Robert, Prof Jo Armes, Prof Anne Marie Rafferty, and Prof Rona Moss-Morris. I am grateful to the National Institute for Health and Care Research for awarding me aA photo of Dr Mary Tanay, winner of the 22/23 Oustanding Thesis Prize in Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care Doctoral Research Fellowship, and to all patient and clinician participants who contributed to the success of my research. 

My background as a cancer nurse significantly influenced my interest in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Prior to my PhD, I have explored the lived experiences of patients and the negative impact of CIPN symptoms on their quality of life particularly after cancer treatment. This greater understanding of CIPN motivated me to undertake research aimed at improving patient experience.  

A self-regulation model of CIPN was developed through my research. The model illustrates the complex processes involved in experiences of CIPN and ways to address this condition. By working with patients and clinicians, we co-designed a behavioural intervention for patients to help them self-monitor CIPN symptoms, communicate and report symptoms to clinicians early and participate in making chemotherapy dose modification decisions with their clinicians. The intervention also supports patients to engage in self-management and safety strategies to reduce the impact of symptoms.  

Since finishing my PhD, I have been working on the feasibility randomised controlled trial of the intervention which is ongoing.  I have also been invited to present my research in various local, national, and international conferences. I continue to work with the scientific community networks I have made links with during my PhD. Currently, I am a Lecturer at the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care of King’s College London and President -Elect of the United Kingdom Oncology Nursing Association. 

Dr Hui Huang, Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy

A photo of Dr Hui Huang, winner of a 22/23 Outstanding Thesis Prize for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Public PolicyIt is really my honour to get my work recognised by King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize. This achievement can’t be made without the endless support from my supervisor Dr Ye Liu and Pro. Jelke Boesten throughout my PhD journey. I also want to deliver my gratitude to my examiners Pro. Yawen Lei and Dr Nana Zhang.  

Prior to commencing a PhD at King’s Department of International Development, I got a master degree in University College London majoring Development Administration and Planning. My PHD thesis, entitled “The Algorithmic Antagonism: The Digital Contested Terrain of Control and Resistance in China’s Platform Economy”, which examines how the digital technology reshapes the capital-labour relations in the new digital workplace in China’s context. For this, I did almost one-year ethnographic research through working as a food-delivery driver in a famous food-delivery company. Due to this in-depth participatory study, my work was published in prestigious journals like Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of Contemporary Asia, and New Technology, Work and Employment. The research findings were also quoted in famous media includes Wired and Al Jazeera. 

I am now working as an assistant professor at the Department of Public Economics and Social Policy in Shanghai Jiao tong University, where I will continue and expand my research on the algorithmic management, platform economy and gig migrant workers.  

Dr Jamie Kwong, Faculty of Social Sciences and Public PolicyA photo of Dr Jamie Kwong, winner of a 22/23 Outstanding Thesis Prize in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy.

I am incredibly honored to receive the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I am especially grateful to my supervisors, Professor Matt Moran and Dr Heather Williams, for their steadfast guidance and to my examiners, Professor Andrew Futter and Professor Michal Onderco, for their thoughtful engagement with the thesis.  

My PhD examined U.S. public opinion of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. It introduced an original framework for assessing how various factors shape public responses to nuclear proliferation, shedding light on the public’s role in and engagement with nuclear issues. While studying as a Marshall Scholar, I also worked as a research assistant at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, working on projects related to the P5 Process, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; transatlantic deterrence; and the impact of social media on conflict escalation. I also worked in the Nuclear Policy Programme at the Royal United Services Institute on projects related to strategic stability, disarmament verification, and the UK Project on Nuclear Issues. I completed my final year of the PhD as a Stanton Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  

Since finishing the PhD, I have stayed on at Carnegie as a Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program. There, my research focuses on public opinion of nuclear weapons issues; challenges climate change poses to nuclear weapons; and multilateral nuclear regimes. 

Announcing the winner of the 2022 Tadion Rideal Prize 

We are pleased to announce the winner of the 2022 Tadion Rideal prize, Dr Francesca Mattedi!

This award was instituted in 1983 by a gift of £10,000 from Dr J. Tadion to commemorate his association with the late Sir Eric Rideal FRS and King’s College London.

The prize of £1,000 is awarded annually and is open to doctoral students of King’s College London who have carried out research for a PhD degree in Molecular Science. ‘Molecular Science’ is defined broadly and inclusively as: Research that involves studies at the molecular level.

Students are nominated by their supervisors; an expert panel of academics in the relevant fields assesses the nominations and provide a shortlist to the Director of Research Talent who selects the winner based on their recommendations.

Meet this year’s winner, Dr Francesca Mattedi:

It is a great honour for me to receive the 2022 Tadion Rideal Prize for my PhD thesis. I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Alessio Vagnoni for his guidance over the years, as well as the members of the lab and all those who supported me during this time.

Before my PhD, I studied Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Trento. During my Master’s I enrolled in two ERASMUS programmes, which gave me the opportunity first to join the lab of Prof. Dorothee Dormann at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich and then to move to UCL in London to work on my Master’s thesis. There, under the supervision of Prof. Pietro Fratta and Prof. Giampietro Schiavo, I investigated the effects of an ALS-causing FUS mutant on RNA metabolism and translation. During this time, I developed a strong interest in the mechanisms regulating intracellular trafficking, a crucial process for the maintenance of neuronal functionality because of the distinctive cellular architecture of neurons.Image of the 2022 winner, Francesca Mattedi

With this in mind, in February 2018 I started my PhD in the lab of Dr. Alessio Vagnoni at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London. My work focused on the study of the interplay between mitochondrial dynamics and function, to understand how they influence each other and how their impairment contributes to neuronal ageing. To this aim, a significant part of my project involved the development of optogenetic tools for the manipulation of both mitochondrial function and dynamics with spatiotemporal precision. I really enjoyed this process and I believe that generating innovative techniques is essential to improve our ability to answer scientific questions and our understanding of biological processes.

After my PhD, I was keen on applying the expertise I gained during this experience to investigate the pathways leading to neurodegeneration in human cellular models. Therefore, I have joined the lab of Prof. Pietro Fratta at the UCL Institute of Neurology as a postdoctoral research fellow. Here, I model the loss of TDP-43 nuclear function in human iPSC-derived lower motor neurons to study how it affects axons and neuronal physiology in ALS.

Announcing the winners of the first King’s Research Mentoring and Support awards

A group photo of the three winners of the Research Mentoring and Support winners; Dr Deborah Robson, Dr Melissa Washington and Sharwari Verma

Mentoring & Support Prize Winners 2023; Dr Deborah Robson, Dr Melissa Washington-Nortey and Sharwari Verma

We are pleased to announce the winners of the very first King’s Research Mentoring and Support awards!

The Centre for Doctoral Studies introduced a new Research Mentoring and Support Excellence award to recognise all the non-supervisory members of staff who make important contributions to Postgraduate Researchers’ (PGR) success and support the approximately 4,500 PGR students that are registered at King’s.

We received over forty nominations for the three Research Mentoring and Support awards and the three winners showcased the best of the wider mentoring and support that staff provide to enable King’s postgraduate researchers to succeed.

The winners are:

Dr Melissa Washington-Nortey, Postdoctoral Project Manager, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

A profile picture of Dr Melissa Washington-Nortey

Dr Melissa Washington-Nortey

‘Melissa is a huge help to me when I’m conducting my systematic review. She attended my meeting with supervisors to discuss the systematic review, during which she shared her knowledge of social support and parenting from a cultural perspective, assisted me in clarifying the review questions and built the framework for meta-synthesis.’

‘Melissa is postdoctoral project manager of the NIHR-funded SPARK project that aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children with developmental disabilities and their caregivers in Ethiopia and Kenya. SPARK supports four postdocs and five PhD students; two PhD students are affiliated to KCL. Since taking up the role of SPARK training lead Melissa has gone far beyond what would be expected to support the training of PGRs affiliated to SPARK. She organised a training survey to identify training needs, which suggested the main training gaps centred around qualitative research skills and expertise on clinical trials. In response she organised first an online qualitative research training course, attended by all SPARK trainees, including the two SPARK KCL PhD students as well as a third KCL PhD student.’

‘Since she has joined the lab, she has worked hard to support lab members, especially PGR students, in ways that go above and beyond her responsibilities as a project manager in a burdensome large international project (SPARK) of which some of us PGR students in the lab are not even part of.’

A profile picture of Dr Deborah Robson

Dr Deborah Robson

 

Dr Deborah Robson, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience

‘Dr Robson – Debbie – is a beacon of mentorship and support. In academia, excellence in mentorship and support often remains unsung, however, without this, the traditionally celebrated measures in academia (robust researchers and teams, high-quality publications, high-value grants) would not be realised. My nomination for Debbie includes case studies of Debbie’s support of several PhD and Master’s students which outline the ways in which Debbie has provided crucial academic guidance; personal mentoring to increase these students’ self-confidence and career ambitions; and a listening ear when they were feeling excluded from the King’s community. Innovative supervisory practice often eludes definition, but in Debbie’s case, this is reflected in her accessibility and the inviting atmosphere of her office. Debbie’s impact extends far beyond the students and colleagues whom she supervises in a formal capacity. Debbie’s consistent commitment to pastoral care and fostering personal and professional growth deserves recognition.’

 

Sharwari Verma, Senior Research Technician, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

A profile picture of Sharwari Verma

Sharwari Verma

‘Sharwari is a senior research technician in the lab I am conducting my PhD in. She was not directly involved with any of my work but still spent many days throughout the year to train me on certain techniques, help with trouble shooting, answer my many questions and she was always there for emotional support. She goes above and beyond to help others and I cannot imagine another individual that deserves this prize more than her.’

‘As a lab technician, Sharwari has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for students. She has gone above and beyond her duties to provide not only technical guidance but also personal support, offering a listening ear and practical advice to those facing personal or professional challenges.’

Congratulations to all our winners and nominees, it’s a great achievement, thank you for all the support you give to our PGRs at King’s College London.

Announcing the first round of winners of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize

Congratulations to the first round of winners of the 22/23 King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize!

Each year a limited number of awards are given to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King’s doctoral students. The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College’s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board.

Meet our winners:

Dr Jacob Gracie,  Faculty of Arts and Humanities

I am very grateful to have received this award. Completing the thesis would not have been possible without the support of my supervisor, Dr. Jon Day, and the company of my friends and family. Thank you also to my examiners – Prof. Bettina Bergo and Prof. Josh Cohen – for their engagement and receptiveness to my project. I am grateful to have had the time to undertake the research for the thesis, which was hugely fulfilling and at no point followed a linear trajectory! Thank you to King’s and LAHP for the opportunity. Thanks also to the members of the KCL Fair Pay for GTAs campaign and all the PhDs, GTAs, and other students and staff who attended various meetings and events related to the campaign – it was a privilege to work and learn in your company over the last few years.

Dr Harriet Fagerberg, Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Prior to commencing a PhD in Philosophy on KCL and Humboldt’s joint PhD programme, Harriet completed an MA in Philosophy of Psychology at KCL and a BA in Philosophy, Psychology and Politics at Maastricht University College. Her PhD thesis – entitled ‘Disease, Dysfunction and the Brain’ – defended a new theory of pathology as a special kind of biological dysfunction, and applied it to the brain. Three chapters of Harriet’s thesis were adapted and published as journal articles in Philosophy of Science, Biology & Philosophy, and The European Journal for Philosophy of Science. After handing in her PhD in August of 2022, Harriet took up a Postdoctoral Fellowship on the Templeton Foundation funded project ‘Agency, Directionality and Function’ at Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is currently working on the nature of biological function and whether psychiatric disorders should be understood as dysfunctions.

Dr Heather White, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Studies

Dr Heather White I am honoured to receive this thesis award and have my work recognised by King’s. My research explored the relationship between cranial sutures and skull morphology across mammalian taxa.

My PhD was completed in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, where I accessed museum specimens to build a comparative ontogenetic dataset spanning the phylogenetic breadth of Mammalia. Through a series of distinct and interlinked chapters I found that the development of cranial sutures was highly integrated with overall cranial morphology. Consequently, I proposed that developmental mechanisms shaping suture morphology are central to the evolution of mammalian cranial phenotypic diversity. I would particularly like to thank my supervisors for their support and enthusiasm throughout my PhD, Prof. Abigail Tucker and Prof. Anjali Goswami.

My research has led to many outreach opportunities which I am forever grateful for. These have included Nature Live talks hosted by the Natural History Museum, school talks, and NHM Lates. I have competed in the London final of FameLab, received a conference poster prize, presented my research in the prestigious D. Dwight Davis Award at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference, and have been invited to present my research at an upcoming conference symposium.

Following my PhD, I have completed a postdoctoral research position extending my work on cranial sutures into evolutionary time to study the synapsid to mammal transition. Additionally, I have used my quantitative morphometric skills to analyse the impact of plastic pollution on bird wing shape. Most recently, I have started a job as a Data Scientist at the Office for National Statistics working on the UN Sustainable Development Goals project. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of my PhD journey, without whom this research would not have been possible.

Dr Aimee Cheesbrough, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

Dr Aimee CheesbroughBefore beginning my PhD, I studied Medical Engineering (MEng) at the University of Leeds. With an interest in stem cells and regenerative medicine and an eagerness to move into the Biosciences, I joined the BBSRC London Interdisciplinary (LIDo) DTP in 2017. My PhD project was co-supervised by Dr Ivo Lieberam at KCL Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, and Prof. Wenhui Song at the UCL Centre for Biomaterials in Interventional Science. During this time, I developed an in vitro model of skeletal muscle function, made from a combination of electrospun nanofiber scaffolds and optogenetically controlled human iPSC-derived myofibers. I was fortunate to have this work published in Advanced Materials in March 2022. Towards the end of my PhD, I worked closely with colleagues at KCL to use this technology as a platform for modelling neuromuscular diseases. We developed a 96-well screening platform for identifying phenotypic variation in neuromuscular co-cultures generated from ALS patient-derived iPSC cell lines.

Outside of my PhD, I really enjoyed getting involved in public engagement activities. I spent 3-months doing an internship at The Royal Institution, where I worked as part of their Masterclass team to organise and deliver engineering, mathematics and computer science masterclasses to school children. I was lucky to be working there during December, during the lead-up to their famous BBC Christmas Lecture series which was very exciting! I was also involved with public engagement activities for KCL Stem Cells, where we developed a ‘Growing New Body Parts’ stand for the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.

Since finishing my PhD I have been working at Ivy Farm Technologies – a cellular agriculture biotechnology start-up based in Oxfordshire. I am really excited to be working in such an innovative sector and to be able to apply the skills and knowledge gained during my PhD to contribute to a better future for animals and the planet! I am truly honoured to have received the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize and would like to thank all those who made my time at King’s so memorable – Thank you!

Dr Luis Alameda, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Dr Luis Alameda

I studied medicine at the Universities of Sevilla, Lund and Florence, and trained in psychiatry and psychotherapy in Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) where I specialised in early intervention in psychosis and started exploring various aspects on the link between childhood trauma and psychosis doing my thesis (MD) on this topic. From 2017 to 2022, I worked in South London and Maudsley as a Consultant psychiatrist, mainly in early intervention and treatment resistant on psychosis, while I did a PhD at the Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London.

My PhD explores the nature of the association between childhood trauma and psychosis, covering epidemiological, clinical and molecular data, with the intent to improve the care of patients with psychosis who suffer from these experiences and to better understand the mechanisms involved. My research has helped a better understanding on the epigenetic mechanism linking trauma and psychosis; previously hypothesized but never explored, and has also opened new venues for clinical applications, such as the key role of anxiety, mood, and dissociation in this population; and the differential role of abuse and neglect, both in terms of clinical manifestations and epigenetic mechanisms.

Just after my PhD submission, I was appointed as the head of the Treatment and Early Intervention for Psychosis Program (TIPP) in CHUV, in Lausanne Switzerland, where I am applying my skills in early intervention learned at the Maudsley and expanding my research in Switzerland and beyond.

Dr Brittney Regal, King’s Business School

Dr Brittney RegalBritt Regal’s doctoral research explored the role that organizational leadership cultures play in embedding co-production (citizen participation) in public services. Through examining six cases across three sectors, she drew conclusions about how certain leadership cultures impacted public service organizations’ engagement with citizens, particularly young people. Her supervisors, Dr Alexandra Budjanovcanin and Professor Ewan Ferlie, provided invaluable knowledge and expertise. She was also a recipient of the King’s Business School Collaborative Studentship.

During her PhD, Britt worked as a research assistant on the Horizon 2020 project, COGOV. She oversaw the delivery of case studies from partners across Europe and provided overarching analysis, alongside Professor Ferlie, on these case studies. She also supported the delivery of a toolkit for co-creation and provided analysis on the governing mechanisms fostering co-creation within the culture sector. To disseminate the findings from her PhD and COGOV, she hosted a day-long conference attended by professionals in non-profits as well as local government officers.

Previously, Britt worked in the education sector supporting schools and mentoring teachers at Teach First. She also worked as a secondary teacher in the United States.  Currently, she is a research associate at King’s College London working on an ESRC-funded project overseen by the Productivity Institute. Within this project, she is exploring the transition to sustainable mobility alongside Professors Damian Grimshaw, Marcela Miozzo, and Jonatan Pinkse. Her research interests include organizational studies, public management, and public policy particularly in relation to collaborative innovation, citizen participation, and sustainable development administration.

Dr Giuseppe Brandi, Faculty of Natural, Mechanical and Engineering Sciences

Dr Giuseppe Brandi

I am humbled and grateful to have been awarded the King’s Outstanding Thesis Prize for my work on Multidimensional Data and Multiscaling Time Series. This achievement would not have been possible without the exceptional guidance and support of my supervisor, Professor Tiziana Di Matteo. Throughout my research, her expertise and encouragement were pivotal, particularly in bridging my previous research background in Economics and Econometrics with the field of Quantitative Financial Data Analysis. This mingling of research approaches had a profound impact on my research forma mentis, shaping my identity as what I refer to myself today, a Datametrician.

I also express my sincere gratitude to the members of my thesis committee, Professor Elsa Arcaute and Professor Andrea Gabrielli, for their valuable feedback and support for my future pursuits. My research has been significantly enriched by the feedback and insights received from the scientific community during workshops, seminars, and international conferences, thereby strengthening its potential impact. Furthermore, the collaboration with Yewno proved to be instrumental, highlighting the potential spillovers between academic research and the Fintech industry. I owe a debt of gratitude to my family and loved ones, whose constant encouragement and inspiration have been key to my success.

Moving forward in my career as a Research Associate in Climate Risk and Analytics at Imperial College London, I am eager to continue exploring the intersection of applied mathematics and real-world problems that have a tangible impact on society.

Dr Naomi Wright, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

Dr Naomi WrightIt is an absolute honour to be awarded an outstanding thesis prize for my PhD in Global Surgery undertaken at King’s Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships. What a wonderful and long journey it has been to get to this point.

By trade, I am a Paediatric Surgery Registrar, with my training post in the Southeast of England Deanery. However, I have always been interested in and hence actively participated in global health research at every opportunity throughout my career.

Prior to the PhD, I had undertaken a BSc in International Health at the University of Leeds in 2004/5 and an MSc in Global Health with Global Surgery at King’s in 2016. I had also undertaken a 1-year Royal College of Surgeons Research Fellowship alongside the MSc. During this year, I had established a paediatric surgery research network across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and collectively we had undertaken the first and largest multinational, prospective cohort study into children’s surgical outcomes across the region. This highlighted a huge disparity in survival compared to high-income countries, particularly for neonatal surgical conditions. For example, gastroschisis (a condition where the baby is born with their intestines protruding through a hole in the abdominal wall) had a 76% mortality across SSA compared to 2% in the UK (published in BMJ Global Health).

It is this research that led onto my PhD. It involved expanding the above prospective cohort study to include a wider range of congenital anomalies (also known as birth defects) and this time in low, middle, and high-income countries across the world (published in The Lancet ). This involved establishing the first truly global paediatric surgical research network with over 1500 children’s surgical care providers involved in the study from 74 countries. We ran the study in 12 languages. Team members have been involved in disseminating the results throughout the globe, both within the medical community and to the public through newspaper articles, social media, and television.

The second part of my PhD involved a hands-on clinical interventional study aimed at tackling the unacceptably high mortality from gastroschisis in seven paediatric surgery centres across Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania. This involved working with over 2000 team members, including surgeons, paediatricians, neonatologists, junior doctors, nurses, midwives, obstetricians, ministers of health, hospital managers, and other key stakeholders, to develop an evidence-based care bundle, and implement in across the seven tertiary hospitals and their referring hospitals and health centres.

Prior to the study the mortality from gastroschisis was 97%; at the end of the study the overall mortality had reduced to 65%. In real terms, 68 neonates survived from gastroschisis during the 2-year study, compared to just 3 neonates in the 2-years prior to the study. Many more have survived since too and further funding has been awarded to continue expanding the project. The study protocol has been published (Wellcome Open Research) and the results publication is in progress.

During the PhD, I had the opportunity to participate in and undertake numerous other associated research projects resulting in 15 publications, and many presentations at international conferences across the globe. I was blessed with winning the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) President’s Prize for best Clinical Research twice for the above work. I also helped organise the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery (GICS) 3rd Global Congress in India, 2018.

Dr Francesca Ghirretti, Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy

Dr Francesca GhirettiFrancesca Ghiretti received her PhD from War Studies, King’s College London where she was awarded the Leverhulme Scholarship as part of the project ‘Interrogating Visions of a Post-Western World: Interdisciplinary and Interregional Perspectives on the Future in a Changing International Order’.

At King’s College London, she is also a fellow at the Centre for Grand Strategy.Currently, Francesca is an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) where she covers EU-China relations, economic security, China’s engagement in the Global South, China’s footprint in Southern Europe and UK-China relations.

Francesca is also a Visiting Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFR). Before joining MERICS, she worked as a Research Fellow Asia at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) in Rome leading a project on the Belt and Road Initiative in Italy. Previously, she also worked as a geopolitical analyst for CQS, a London-based hedge fund and as assistant to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, former Secretary General of NATO.

Francesca’s Thesis, The securitization of Chinese foreign direct investments in the EU, researched the phenomenon of foreign direct investments (FDI) originating from China and flowing into the European Union has been receiving growing attention, particularly in light of the implications Chinese FDI carry that transcend economy.

This research seeks to give its contribution to the state of the art by looking at the phenomenon through the lens of the theory of securitisation of non-traditional security issues (NTS). Rather than measuring the nature, scope and impact of Chinese FDI in the EU, this project seeks to understand why the EU and two states, Italy and the UK, have begun to view Chinese FDI as a security threat and thus, transformed an economic matter into a security concern.

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