Today marks the launch of our 25th anniversary programme, ‘25 and up: the Academy for the next generation’, which will highlight the needs and priorities of emerging research leaders and the role we play in helping them realise their potential.
Our goal is to bring people together from our community and beyond to celebrate this milestone year and to invite them to work with us in creating an open and progressive research network with the Academy at its heart.
During the year, we will roll-out initiatives which underline our new vision and strategy Making medical science work for everyone, with a particular focus on supporting young researchers with their ambitions.
In our new 10-year strategy, we commit to broadening the range of people and disciplines engaged in biomedical and health research and supporting and recognising their talents in different ways. This includes providing innovative career funding and support that builds the capacity of teams and individuals as well as ensuring that biomedical and health researchers have clear, effective, and attractive career pathways.
Professor Dame Anne Johnson DBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
“While our 25th anniversary is an opportunity to take stock of the impact and achievements of the Academy and our community, it is also an important moment to look to our future and how we can influence the development of a research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.
“It is vital that we fully engage with the next generation of researchers to identify the challenges and opportunities they face and their aspirations for the future, and how we as an Academy could work to foster the capability of future research leaders and help them realise their ambitions.”
Simon Denegri OBE, Executive Director of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
“Our strategic ambition is to help create an open and progressive research sector. For this to happen, we need to invest in initiatives that will best support the diversity and depth of research talent in the UK. We look forward to bringing together our community of Fellows, grant awardees, partners and patients to support this common cause over the coming anniversary year and beyond.”
Dr Rina Dutta, King's College London; Emerging Research Leader and co-opted member of the Academy of Medical Sciences council said:
"I welcome the launch of the Academy of Medical Sciences' 25 and up programme, because more than simply celebrating past milestones, it is incredibly forward-facing and aiming to engage emerging leaders in research. Through their innovative career development funding and support in mentorship and leadership, the Academy is working with the talented next generation of researchers - both biomedical and in health - to ensure continuity of the tradition of the very highest quality research to improve health and outcomes for patients and the public"
25 and up: the Academy for the next generation – programme of activities
Our programme of anniversary events launches with the first of our ‘Spotlight sessions’ where our Fellows will share their expertise with our community:
- Spotlight session: Engaging with the media, Thursday 26 January 2023 (online)
- Spotlight session: Supporting evidence-based decision making in the Scottish Government, Tuesday 21 February 2023 (in-person only)
- Spotlight session: Supporting evidence-based decision making in Westminster and Whitehall, Tuesday 28 March 2023 (hybrid)
We will also be releasing a new series of impact case studies and exciting video content that will give a voice to young researchers to celebrate their achievements and explore how the boundaries of science are changing.
We will host a special 25th anniversary reception in the Summer to welcome our new Fellows and thank our community and supporters. We hope to end the year with an emerging research leaders’ summit to hear first-hand the needs and aspirations of the next generation of researchers and how we can help support their ambitions. We will also use the platform of our annual Jean Shanks lecture in December to highlight the work of patient researchers in medical science.
