Young Investigator Award 2025

Awards will be made to two outstanding young investigators providing the opportunity to present a 20-minute résumé of their research, its impact, and their future investigative plans.

  • The award is aimed at young investigators transitioning to or having achieved independent researcher status in the previous two years, with allowance for career breaks
  • Applicants may be clinical or non-clinical and the award is open to all healthcare professionals
  • Applicants must have a substantial record of research achievement and demonstrable ability to present in English to an international audience
  • The award will cover the registration fee for the full 4-day Neonatal Update 2025 meeting (Monday 24 - Thursday 27 November 2025)
  • Awards will be judged competitively; no award will be made if a satisfactory standard of application is not received.

Abstract submission will open on 01 May and close 31 July 2025. 

Application Process

Please submit the following to neonatal.update@imperial.ac.uk with ‘YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD’ in the subject line:

  • one page CV
  • summary of no more than 300 words of your proposed presentation which should cover what you have done and what you plan to do next to improve newborn care
  • a covering letter from your Head of Department, recommending you and confirming your ability to deliver your presentation in English to an international audience.

Winners will be notified by 05 September 2025. 

The Award Committee was very impressed with the quality of submissions in 2024 and as a result decided to extend the award to three young investigators. The winners of the Young Investigator Award 2024 were Dr Tanith Alexander (Counties Manukau Health and the Liggins Institute, New Zealand), Dr Kera McNelis (Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, USA) and Dr Arun Sett (Sunshine Hospital Western Health, Australia). 

  • Dr Alexander presented her research on advancing nutritional care for moderate and late preterm infants: Insights from the DIAMOND trial
  • Dr McNelis discussed her work on Infancy: a critical window for growth
  • Dr Sett presented his research on ultrasound assessment on the newborn lung 
Dr Tanith Alexander, Dr Kera McNelis and Dr Arun Sett (L-R)

Contact

To register your interest or for any other enquiries please contact Georgina Holmes