Maddy Newby and Emma Whitmey Winners of the British Pharmacological Society Awards 2020

Congratulations to graduates Maddy Newby and Emma Whitmey for winning the British Pharmacological Society Awards 2020 .

Professor Lindy Holden-Dye Chair in Neuroscience, Principal Investigator (Neuropharmacology & Physiology) and Head of School of Biological Sciences told us:

“I am delighted that Maddy Newby has been awarded the Student Contribution to Pharmacology Prize in recognition of her efforts to promote the discipline of pharmacology. Maddy has provided a superb role model for other students studying pharmacology through her active participation in the research and educational activities. She has contributed to student recruitment to the discipline through her superb achievements as part of the Covid-19 response team in the School of Biological Sciences in addition to her co-authorship of three significant publications. She has shown that students of pharmacology can make a real difference to the medical challenges faced in the 21st century. “

Maddy told us: “Being awarded this prize came as a huge surprise and I'm very grateful to have been considered at all! It’s been fantastic to be part of such a substantial project and I'm very thankful to have been given this opportunity”

Emma was nominated for the award in recognition of her performance in the final year of her degree and her research project. She investigated the effects of a drug on the behaviour of a microscopic worm, Caenorhabditis elegans.  This animal is very simple and has just 302 neurones in its 'brain' but despite that its nervous system at the cellular level functions in a similar way to human brain. She used it to understand how a specific drug can alter movement providing insight into a human movement disorder, Huntington’s disease.

Professor Lindy Holden-Dye commented 'Emma excelled in the laboratory work and wrote a superb dissertation'.

Emma told us: “I am honoured to have been awarded with the Undergraduate Pharmacology Prize and I am very grateful that my hard work during my final year has been recognised. I look forward to using the knowledge and skills I have learnt during my degree in my future career”