The Kavli Oxford Lecture Award 2024 Recognises Regina E. Dugan for Breakthroughs in Human Health Innovation
The Kavli Oxford Lecture Award 2024 Recognises Regina E. Dugan for Breakthroughs in Human Health Innovation
The Kavli Oxford Lecture Award, an annual celebration of scientific achievement and inspiration, marked its third year with a captivating keynote delivered by Regina Dugan, CEO of Wellcome Leap. A pioneering leader in health innovation, Regina inspired the audience by demonstrating how differences could be made by accelerating breakthroughs in human health.
Regina Dugan’s personal journey underscores her mission: driving the creation of innovative solutions to tackle critical health challenges within ambitious timeframes. Wellcome Leap was founded with the conviction that scientific ingenuity can transform the landscape of health research.
Drawing a parallel to the launch of Sputnik in 1957, which ignited the Space Age, Regina suggested that today’s global health challenges could inspire a new "Health Age." This era, she proposed, would be characterised by rapid advancements in treatments for cancer, mental health and infectious diseases, supported by a global research network spanning 150 organisations across six continents.
The lecture highlighted the power of Pasteur’s Quadrant — research that bridges the gap between fundamental science and real-world application — as the cornerstone of Wellcome Leap’s work. This unique approach has given rise to programmes such as Multi-Channel Psych (MCPsych), aimed at addressing mental health challenges, and Delta Tissue, which advances techniques for understanding cellular processes vital to drug development.
Following Regina’s keynote address, the event spotlighted the two Wellcome Leap-funded research projects being conducted at Kavli Oxford.
Tarick El-Baba and Corrinne Lutomski presented their work on anhedonia, a core symptom of several mental health conditions, funded through Wellcome Leap’s Multi-Channel Psych (MCPsych) programme. They are collaborating with Carol Robinson to explore novel approaches in this critical area of mental health.
Associate Professor Yujia Qing, from the Department of Chemistry, then introduced her project, developed in partnership with Kavli Professors Justin Benesch, Philipp Kukura and other Chemistry Professors . Funded by Wellcome Leap’s Delta Tissue programme, her research employs nanopore technology to map protein phosphorylation.
Professor Dame Carol Robinson, Director of Kavli Oxford, presented Regina Dugan with the Kavli Oxford Lecture Award. The award, a 1:10 scale model of Sputnik crafted in Russia, held special significance for Regina Dugan, echoing her lecture’s central theme and celebrating the spirit of innovation.
The event concluded with a lively drinks reception in the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (DCH) Building, where attendees had the opportunity to engage with Regina Dugan, followed by a dinner with Kavli Oxford researchers.
This year’s Kavli Oxford Lecture Award continues to serve as a platform for inspiration, fostering dialogue that pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery.
For further information on the Kavli Oxford Lecture Award and Kavli Oxford’s research initiatives, visit Kavli Oxford Lecture Awards Page.
