UK DRI researchers awarded prizes at inaugural Women in Neuroscience UK Awards

In November, the inaugural Women in Neuroscience (WiNUK) Awards brought together over 100 attendees at the University of Cambridge. The aim of the organisation is to give women in neuroscience more visibility, and the awards are an opportunity to reward positive contributions within the neuroscience research community.

The UK DRI was delighted to sponsor the 'Leading Researcher for Sex/Gender in Neuroscience', which was awarded by Prof Mina Ryten, Centre Director for the UK DRI at Cambridge. 

Congratulations to all the WiNUK Awards winners, including UK DRI members: 

• Dr Maura Malpetti as WiNUK's Rising Star: Early Group Leader
• Prof Tara Spires-Jones as WiNUK's Leading Researcher: Neuropathology and Ageing

WiNUK and the WiNUK Awards are the brainchild of UK DRI at Cambridge PhD student Lizzie English, who was also recently presented with The Diana Award for her work on the initiative. Congratulations to Lizzie, and all the team of WiNUK volunteers, including UK DRI at Cambridge PhD students Kim Cheam and Dr Karnika Gupta, for running such a successful event.

Lizzie said: 

“The smooth running of WiNUK Awards 2024 and the enthusiastic responses from the audience were a testament to my team's hard work and beyond what we could have imagined. It was amazing to have so many volunteers from Women in Neuroscience UK come to Cambridge to help with our first independent event; many meeting for the first time after years of virtual collaboration. 

We'd like to thank our seven sponsors, including the UK Dementia Research Institute, who kindly sponsored the Leading Researcher for Sex/Gender in Neuroscience. This year's winner was Dr Joana Pinto, founder of 'The Maternal Brain Project', who explores the influence of pregnancy and hormonal changes on brain health with neuroimaging. The winner was presented with a trophy, certificate and a signed copy of Gina Rippon's 'The Gendered Brain' by Prof Mina Ryten, Cambridge's UK DRI Centre Director.  Thank you to several further UK DRI members involved in award judging, including Dr Johanna Jackson and Prof Julie Williams.”

If you want to read the latest WiNUK news, follow them on social media @WomeninNeuroUK and join their mailing list for monthly newsletters.