Celebrating Innovation and Excellence at the 2025 School of Medicine PGR Conference
The School of Medicine’s annual Postgraduate Research (PGR) Conference took place on 18 June 2025 in Upper and Lower College Halls, showcasing the breadth and depth of research across the postgraduate community.
The day opened with a welcome from the Dean of Medicine, Professor Deborah Williamson, and Director of Postgraduate Research, Dr Jaclyn Pearson, followed by a series of engaging short talks from first-year PhD and MSc(Res) students. Topics ranged from antimicrobial therapies and cancer metabolism to neurodevelopmental genetics and diagnostic innovations.
A lively “University Challenge” quiz, hosted by quiz master Professor David Harrison, provided some light-hearted fun to the day and an informative Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) session was well received by the audience. The lunchtime poster session, which featured research from our second-year PhD students, allowed for discussion and networking.
Afternoon talks from final-year students delved into complex topics such as healthcare inequalities, cancer progression, and HIV treatment outcomes. The day concluded with a thought-provoking keynote from Dr Mark Carver on the “3Ds” of AI: declare, detail, defend.
Awards celebrated outstanding contributions:
Judges’ Picks:
Morning Talks
- Winner – Isabelle Cochrane
- Runner-up – Ben Paulukiewicz
Posters:
- Winner – Etang Etang
- Runner-up – Xueyu Guo
Afternoon Talks:
- Winner – Morag Milne
- Runner-up – Eva Agnes Laker Odongpiny
Audience Picks:
- Talks: Joint winners – Nina MacKenzie and Morag Milne
- Posters: Winner – Etang Etang