This article was last reviewed on
This article waslast modified on 10 July 2017.

10 laboratory medicine scientists have recently been named in the Science Council’s list of the UK’s top 100 scientists. This demonstrates the strength and influence that laboratory medicine has within the UK. These scientists have been recognised for their expertise, skills and leadership and are an example of the outstanding contribution laboratory medicine scientists make to the NHS.

The list has been published by the Science Council as part of their 10th anniversary celebrations. To collate the list, member organisations and other partners were asked to nominate scientists for 10 categories which cover the diverse nature of science and the contribution science makes to society.

The ten categories were:
Explorer
Investigator
Developer/translational
Service provider/operational
Monitor /regulator
Entrepreneur
Communicator
Teacher
Business/marketing
Policy maker

Nominated scientists were then judged by a panel including members of the Science Council, Sense about science, the British Science Association and Science journalists.

10 Laboratory Medicine scientists have been included in the top 100 demonstrating the strength and influence of scientists within the laboratory medicine field. The full list can be found at:

http://www.sciencecouncil.org/content/100-leading-uk-practising-scientists#teacher2

Service provider/Operational Scientist category
Professor Heather Cubie
Director, Scottish HPV Reference Laboratory, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh; Honorary Professor of Research and Research Management, University of Edinburgh
Recognised for her research relating to HPV, cervical disease and cancer detection, and worked on validation and quality assurance as a crucial part of clinical HPV testing. She was a founder member of the Association of Clinical Microbiologists, a founder member of the International Papilloma virus Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Dr John Honour
Honorary Senior Research Associate, Women’s Health, University College London.
Recognised for his expertise in developing, testing and exploiting devices for use in the operating theatre so taking the laboratory to the bedside. He has been an active member of several learned societies including the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, the Society for Endocrinology the Royal College of Pathologists.

Ms Sandra Richards MSc CSci MIBMS
Biomedical Scientist, Cellular Pathology, John Radcliffe Hospital
Recognised for her development of cellular pathology screening for cervical cancer and for her exceptional public engagement and outreach work around cervical screening. Sandra has recently joined the Lab Tests Online-UK Marketing team to help promote the work of our website to patients and health care professionals.

Developer/Translational scientist category
Professor Paul Collinson
Consultant Chemical Pathologist, St George’s Hospital, London; Adviser, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
Recognised for developing and pioneering the application of rapid serial measurement of markers of cardiac damage to reduce diagnostic time. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal Society of Medicine.

Professor Christopher Price
Visiting Professor in Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.
Recognised for combining his academic work with consultancies to a number of organisations, UK government departments and advisory groups in the health and diagnostics area. He is a Chartered Scientist and a Chartered Chemist, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal College of Pathologists, and a past-President of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Monitor/ regulator scientist Category
Dr Catharine Sturgeon
Consultant Clinical Scientist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Recognised for developing one of the earliest anti-cancer medicines and her work to encourage optimal use of tumour marker tests now used routinely in the UK and internationally. She is a Chartered Scientist, a Chartered Chemist and Fellow of the Royal College of Pathology and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Entrepreneur category
Dr Jonathan Middle
Chair, Association for Quality Management in Laboratory Medicine.
Recognised for his leadership in the quality management of clinical services between the public and private sectors, research and the diagnostic industry. He is a STEM Ambassador, a Fellow of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine and has been actively involved on a number of its committees.

Teacher category
Ms Diane Anderson MIBMS
Training Lead, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.
Recognised for combining her knowledge and commitment of science with a commitment to pedagogical excellence and leadership.

Policy maker
Professor Dame Sally Davies
Chief Medical Officer, National Health Service.
Recognised for being the first female UK government’s principal medical adviser and the professional head of all directors of public health in local government and for championing greater collaboration in medical research across the NHS, charities, research councils and industry. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal College of Pathologists.

Professor Sir Mark Walport
Government Chief Scientific Adviser.
Recognised for his national and international leadership on biomedical research and policy issues and is recognised as a world leader in the promotion of biomedical science. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Royal College of Pathologists, Royal College of Physicians, and the Royal Society.