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On 7 May 2026, our Head of Science, Andrew Pridmore, visited the University of Leeds to award prizes for the best final year research project poster presentations in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology. As always, this was an enjoyable and informative day.
Posters were presented by students completing BSc (Hons) courses in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biotechnology with Enterprise, and Microbiology. Their research topics encompassed viral diseases, cancer biology, vaccine development, genetic disorders, and novel antibacterial therapies. Of particular interest to us at DWS were projects examining the role of the human intestinal microbiota in health and disease, an important and evolving area of research. The growing importance of AI in biomedical research was also evident.
Prizes were awarded for posters with the highest scores, as judged by internal and external examiners, in the two categories of laboratory-based research and literature review. The standard was universally high and there were ties in both categories. The winners were:
Literature/Science Communication Prizes:
1st (joint): Natali Jakovleva (as pictured below on the left picture) - "Immune Bats & Viral Spillovers: The Ultimate Pandemic Threat?"
1st (joint): Rosie Tollerfield (as pictured below on the left picture) - "Spatial Proteomics Meets AI: A Path to the Clinic"
3rd: Olive Lara (as pictured below on the right picture) - "To Pandemic or Not: H5N1's Host Switching Capabilities and Pandemic Potential"
Laboratory Research Prizes:
1st: Lucy Schalkwyk (as pictured below on the left) - [Title withheld because the poster contains confidential unpublished data]
2nd (joint): Jasmin Rutter - [Title withheld because the poster contains confidential unpublished data]
2nd (joint): Alice O'Neill (as pictured below on the right) - "Early-stage screen for small molecule stabilisers to treat 55LCC-associated disorders"
Our three 1st-place winning students made the following comments on their winning posters and their time spent at Leeds:
Natali Jakovleva: "I am incredibly proud to have been awarded first place for my Literature Research Poster. Writing my dissertation and evaluating the pandemic potential of Nipah versus Ebola viruses was a challenging yet deeply rewarding process. I could not have achieved this without the wonderful guidance of my supervisor, Dr John Barr. Winning this prize is a fantastic conclusion to my undergraduate studies. Moving forward, I am excited to continue my research journey by pursuing an MRes investigating the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). A huge thank you to Don Whitley Scientific for generously sponsoring these prizes and continuing to support student innovation."
Lucy Schalkwyk: "Being awarded first place prize for my practical project poster was a really meaningful way to celebrate all the work I've put into my final year, thanks to Don Whitley Scientific for sponsoring. Studying Biochemistry with Industry at the University of Leeds has given me so many opportunities to grow in scientific ability and I have loved exploring cancer biology through my modules and dissertation this year. I am very grateful to my supervisor, Dr Qian Wu and lab members Klaudia Mikula, Lucy Larkin and Reedhi Vara as well as Dr Alex Garvin for their support and encouragement. I'm excited to take everything I've learned forward as I pursue a career in scientific research after graduating this summer!"
Rosie Tollerfield: "I am incredibly proud to have been awarded the joint first place prize for my Literature Research Poster. Completing my dissertation and presenting my research was both a challenging and rewarding experience, and I am very grateful for the support and guidance of my supervisor, Dr Chiara Gorrini. Winning this prize has been a lovely recognition of the hard work and dedication that went into my research. My time at the University of Leeds has helped me develop not only my scientific knowledge and research skills, but also my confidence and communication abilities. Next year, I will be continuing my studies with a PhD at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, focusing on the biocatalytic synthesis of modified nucleoside triphosphates. I am very grateful to Don Whitley Scientific Ltd for generously supporting these awards and encouraging students in their academic achievements."
Andrew thoroughly enjoyed attending the poster session, sharing the students' enthusiasm for their studies, and gaining insight into the current research interests within the department.
The organiser of the poster day, Dr Chi Trinh, commented that all students were very appreciative of the poster prizes, both for the monetary value and as an achievement to include in their CV.
We wish the very best of luck to all final year undergraduates who are currently sitting their exams prior to graduating this summer. We look forward to continuing our enjoyable and rewarding relationship with the University of Leeds.
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