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Science in Medicine School Teams Prize 2025

In 2025, the National Heart and Lung Institute and the British Heart Foundation’s Centre of Research Excellence at Imperial offered our 5th Annual Science in Medicine School Teams Prize to engage sixth form school students with science in medicine.

The aims were to encourage students to:

stretch beyond the school curriculum, think outside the bubble of traditional biomedical fields, and learn about the excitement of research.

consider how trends in science and engineering will impact on health and medicine in the future.

understand the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and teamwork to effective research and development for improvements in public and individual health.

forward think realistically by realising the importance of affordability, availability and acceptability in translating inventions towards a reduction in inequality-related poor health outcomes.

appreciate the importance of effective communication in rolling out scientific developments, via the use of art and design.

Any educational organisation in the UK with sixth form students could participate and collaborations between UK schools or between a UK organisation and an equivalent organisation outside the UK were welcome.

This year there were five separate team contests. Schools could enter one team, for each contest and many conducted an internal selection process. Each team could be composed of up to six members, ideally with varied interests to demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach. Examples of possible scientific interests include biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, maths, computing, data science, social science, and economics. Judges were looking for communication skills and inclusion of a team member with art or design interests was recommended.

The challenge and finals event

Teams had to design an ePoster which illustrated a strategy for combining science with biomedicine to improve health and reduce deaths and disabilities. They were free to choose the design of the poster but were advised to describe clearly what problem was addressed, the anticipated innovation(s), and steps along the way to implementation.

The judges were looking for evidence that the vision considers affordability, availability, and acceptability in translating science and/or engineering towards improved health.

Teams were advised to indicate how each member contributed to the poster so that teamwork could be scored.

Students had to be less than 19 years old at the start of the school year (September 2023)

The poster needed to be pitched to communicate to non-experts, for example fellow sixth form students.

For each prize, the top scoring teams were invited to present their posters at an online finals event. Please see at the bottom of this page for a list of this year’s Prize winners.

The five contests in 2025 were:

The British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Prize - This year the prize focuses on diet and nutrition as a science in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Posters should outline the scientific foundations for a general or specific dietary plan for actively promoting cardiovascular health and provide strategies for evaluation, dissemination and public adoption. The prize is supported by the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at Imperial College British Heart Foundation’s Centre British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence | Faculty of Medicine | Imperial College London and the Cardiovascular Theme of the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre Cardiovascular Theme of the Imperial NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.

The Lung Prize – Submissions could focus on any aspect of novel prevention or treatment of respiratory disease or on a non-pharmaceutical approach to improving the quality of life and well-being of people with chronic lung disease. The submission should also consider how to assess the effectiveness of such interventions. This prize is funded by the National Heart and Lung Institute and the Respiratory Theme of the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre Respiratory Theme of the Imperial NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.

The Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Alliance (RAIRDA) Prize Rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases include Lupus, Scleroderma, Sjögren’s disease and Vasculitis.  Patients often face common challenges which impact their quality of life, such as fatigue, consequences of immunosuppressant treatment, and navigating life with a fluctuating and often invisible chronic illness. Non-pharmaceutical approaches like nutrition, psychological support, and exercise can support people to improve their quality of life, but testing and researching these solutions can be difficult in traditional clinical trials.  Your challenge is to design an innovative, non-pharmaceutical solution based on science/technology to help improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people with RAIRDs. You should consider how to assess the effectiveness and promote the implementation of such intervention.    This prize is supported by the Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Alliance RAIRDA – The Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Alliance and the Immunology Theme of the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre

The Global Health Prize - Climate change is impacting the health of people around the world in many ways. Choose a specific health issue impacted by climate change (e.g., following an extreme weather event, displacement of people, food insecurity, vector-borne disease etc.). Your challenge is to (1) Clearly explain the science behind how climate change impacts this health issue, and (2) Design a practical and innovative approach to mitigate this health impact within the next 10 years. You can consider solutions that could be implemented in the UK, in a low/middle country or globally. This prize is supported by the Imperial College School of Public Health  Imperial College School of Public Health.

Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Centre contest: Cancer treatment is a challenging journey, often long and painful for patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery. While the treatment itself cannot be altered, innovative solutions can help make the experience more supportive and comforting for patients. The task is to develop an idea based on science/technology that enhances the patient journey by offering guidance, distraction, or emotional support during treatment. We welcome all types of innovations, such as medical devices, apps, games, or content materials (written, audio, animated, etc.) that help patients cope with their treatment experience. This contest is supported by the Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Centre.

For any queries, please email school-teams-prize@imperial.ac.uk .

More details about this year's winners will be published following our final event.

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