Continuing the coverage of winners from around the country.
These prizes are awarded to students graduating from IBMS-accredited BSc Hons programmes who have achieved academic distinction.
University of Essex
Hannah Stagg was this year’s President’s Prize winner at the University of Essex. Following graduation, Hannah, who hopes to pursue a career in histology, said that she thoroughly enjoyed her BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science degree, which included a placement year in the histology department at Queen’s Hospital Romford. Robert Keeble, a long-standing Chartered Fellow of the IBMS, presented the Prize on behalf of the President.
Oxford Brookes
Samra Shabir was awarded the IBMS President’s Prize at Oxford Brookes University. Samra, who transferred from another university at the end of the first year of her degree, kept up her dedication to hard work and achieved First-Class Honours. Her final-year project looked at the possible association of gene expression for histamine receptor H1 (HRH1) with invasion and metastasis in ovarian cancer. This involved the identification of proteins from extracellular vesicles (EVs) in ovarian cancer cell lines for any correlation with level of invasion, and the possibility of using them as a therapeutic target. Samra is hoping to continue her studies with an acceptance for Graduate-Entry Medicine in 2019.
Ulster University
Kirby Hempsey, a final year BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with Diploma in Professional Practice (Pathology) student was awarded the IBMS Presidents Prize at Ulster University at her graduation. Kirby, who hopes to find a biomedical scientist position in Northern Ireland, was presented with her prize by Ruth Boyce, Chair of the Northern Ireland IBMS branch.
University of Salford
Louise Foster, the President’s Prize winner at the University of Salford, graduated with a BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with Professional Experience. During her degree, Louise completed a placement working as a medical laboratory assistant in the microbiology laboratory at the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, where she was able to complete the Registration Portfolio for the IBMS certificate of competence.
As a high achiever, Louise was selected by her university to undertake an eight-week studentship, with the support of a grant from the Physiological Society, and was involved in investigating the cellular basis of cardiac dysfunction in sepsis. Since graduation, Louise has gained HCPC registration and has secured a band 5 biomedical scientist position back in the microbiology laboratory at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. Louise was awarded the President’s Prize by IBMS National Council Member, Jane Harrison-Williams.