Imperial medic wins national award for BSc Gastroenterology research project

MBBS student Satvika Adiki took home the top prize from the 2026 Falk Foundation/Guts UK Charity national awards.

Ms Adiki’s research project, ‘Modafinil for Severe IBD-Related Fatigue: A Prospective Evaluation of 12-Month Clinical Outcomes’, was conducted as part of her intercalated BSc in Gastroenterology & Hepatology, based at St Mark’s Hospital, and run by Imperial's Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction.

All students on the MBBS programme at Imperial undertake an intercalated BSc in their fourth year of the programme, allowing them to develop key research skills and broaden their understanding in a more specific area of medical research.

The School of Medicine, along with the Faculty's range of leading research departments, currently offers 14 BSc pathways, also accepting medicine, dentistry and veterinary students from other institutions for the year-long programme.

Explaining more about her project, now fifth-year medic Ms Adiki noted, “Fatigue is one of the most debilitating symptoms experienced by people living with IBD, yet it is often under-recognised and poorly managed in clinical practice. There are currently no effective pharmacological treatments specifically targeting IBD-related fatigue.

"My project evaluates the use of modafinil, a wakefulness-promoting medication, as a potential treatment for severe fatigue in IBD patients. This study provides one of the first systematic assessments of its long-term effectiveness and tolerability, with at least 12 months of follow-up. Secondary aims included exploring predictors of treatment benefit.”

Professor Julian Marchesi, Professor of Digestive Health at Imperial’s Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction and Lead for the BSc in Medical Sciences with Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said, “The Team is delighted that Satvika’s project has been recognised with this award and we are not surprised to see her work recognised, as she was an excellent student.

“Our students undertake a huge range of often extremely important research as part of their BSc studies, and it is wonderful to see their dedication rewarded on the national stage. Often the work of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology students also makes an impact at the international level too. We hope to see Satvika push on from this well-deserved award into further research because of choosing our course.”

Ms Adiki was presented with her award and £1500 prize at the annual meeting of the British Gastroenterology Society (BSG) in June after the conclusion of her BSc, returning to begin the final two years of her medical training in July, enjoying a dinner as part of the ceremony.

Awards were presented by Dr Harriet Gordon, President Elect of the BSG, amongst a variety of key attendees from the gastroenterology field, including CEO of Guts UK, Ms Suzanne Hudson and Ms Maya Vlahovic, Manager of Falk Foundation UK & IE.

Running for 21 years, the awards are dedicated to encouraging research and promoting patient care in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology, recognising the work of nearly 200 young healthcare professionals including medical students, junior doctors, SpRs, nurses, dietitians and pharmacists.

Ms Adiki’s Project Supervisor, Dr Calum Moulton Consultant Psychiatrist, St Marks Hospital and Advanced Fellow, Centre for Affective Disorders, King's College London, comments:

“Fatigue is a huge issue for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).  Satvika’s findings showed that most patients we treat with modafinil in our clinic continue to have meaningful improvement in their fatigue at least one year later. These are highly innovative and valuable findings, which we can now develop upon in clinical trials. Satvika was a highly valued member of our team and shows great potential as a future clinical academic.”