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The 2025 Royal Society Awards celebrate exceptional contributions to scientific research, public engagement, and research culture.
Of the 27 recipients this year, four are Oxford researchers: Professor Sir Rory Collins, Professor Kayla King, Professor Philipp Kukura, and Professor Michael Wooldridge.
Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, said: “The recipients of this year’s medals and awards have all made outstanding contributions to science and its applications for the benefit of humanity.
“They have done so by furthering our understanding of the processes that govern the world around us, changing the practices of academia to build a more robust and inclusive research environment, and engaging new audiences.
“Celebrating these diverse contributions is core to the society’s mission and I offer my congratulations to all the 2025 recipients.”
Professor Sir Rory Collins of Oxford Population Health won the Buchanan Medal for leading clinical trials that changed cardiovascular care and for his leadership of the UK Biobank.
Professor Collins said: “I am delighted to receive the Buchanan Medal.
“This award recognises the importance of our cardiovascular clinical trials which have changed routine care worldwide and prevented many premature deaths.
“It also recognises the work of UK Biobank, a prospective study of 500,000 British men and women that enables scientists around the world to create better ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat many different diseases.”
The UK Biobank is a major long-term study involving half a million UK participants, supporting research worldwide into disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Professor Kayla King from the Department of Biology received the Francis Crick Medal and Lecture for her work in evolutionary biology and the genetics of infectious disease.
Professor King said: “It is an immense privilege to have my research recognised by the Royal Society.
“I feel fortunate every day to be able to think about science and make new discoveries, together with my brilliant students and excellent colleagues.
“I am thrilled that my fields, evolutionary biology, ecology, and genetics of infectious disease, are being highlighted by this award.”
Professor Philipp Kukura from the Department of Chemistry was awarded the Clifford Paterson Medal and Lecture for his pioneering work in mass photometry.
He said: “I am delighted to receive this honour, a recognition of the advances in life science research that are being enabled by breakthroughs in fundamental physical sciences.”
Professor Michael Wooldridge, from the Department of Computer Science, received the Michael Faraday Prize and Lecture for his achievements as a leading AI researcher, educator, and science communicator.
Professor Wooldridge said: “I am stunned and beyond delighted to be recognised for this work by receiving the Faraday Prize and Lecture from the Royal Society.”
