Four Corpus Christi College Medical Fellows Secure Prestigious Wellcome Discovery Awards in Oxford
Corpus Christi College in Oxford is celebrating a remarkable academic achievement after four of its Medical Fellows were awarded major Wellcome Discovery Awards. Professors Pawel Swietach, Simon Newstead, Colin Akerman, and Susie Dunachie have each secured separate multi-million pound grants in the same year—a notable milestone given that only 45 such awards are granted annually.
Groundbreaking Medical Research at Corpus Christi College
Administered by the Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation established in 1936, the Discovery Awards provide long-term, flexible funding for established researchers pursuing bold ideas to address urgent global health challenges. The substantial backing allows the Corpus Christi College fellows and their international teams to tackle complex questions concerning human life, health, and wellbeing.
The funded projects span a diverse spectrum of medical sciences:
- Professor Colin Akerman is investigating the cellular mechanisms that allow our brains to learn complex tasks.
- Professor Susie Dunachie leads a group participating in a Zimbabwe-based initiative examining aging mechanisms in children growing up with HIV in the era of antiretroviral therapy.
- Professor Pawel Swietach is collaborating on research into the mechanisms of dysfunctional oxygen transport in Chronic Mountain Sickness to improve care in high-altitude populations.
- Professor Simon Newstead is exploring nutrient and drug processing within the human body through Solute Carrier Biology: Linking Transport and Signalling in the Cell.
The recipients highlighted that the structure of the Discovery Awards is vital for fostering collaborative teamwork and providing the necessary space to investigate some of the most difficult problems in contemporary medical science.
Visitors exploring the historic quadrangles, chapel, and gardens of Corpus Christi College can appreciate that this compact 16th-century institution continues to serve as an active hub for world-leading academic research. To discover more cultural spots, historic colleges, and upcoming exhibitions across the city, take a look at the interactive options on Musemap (musemap.art), browse the Oxford museum list, or check out what's on in Oxford.
