Award given for work tackling parasitic disease in Africa and Asia.
The Leeuwenhoek Medal and Lecture has been awarded to Joanna Webster, professor of parasitic diseases at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).
The award has been made by the Royal Society in recognition of her work towards advancing the control of parasitic disease in humans and animals in Africa and Asia.
Before she started her professorship at RVC, Professor Webster served as co-director of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative. During her time there, the organisation provided approximately 300 million anthelminthic preventative chemotherapeutic treatments for children and at-risk adults in sub-Saharan Africa.
Since joining RVC in 2014, Professor Webster has continued her One Health research on human and animal tropical medicine. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Fauna and Flora International, an expert advisor for various World Heath Organization panels, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and the Academy of Medical Sciences
Professor Webster said: “I am so utterly delighted and honoured to receive this medal from the Royal Society, the prestigious and oldest continuing scientific academy in the world.
“I’m especially touched as this medal is in recognition of the achievements of Antony van Leeuwenhoek who, from a humble background, through his passion to drive microscopic research and discovery, revealed for the first time so much of the beauty and complexity of nature - revelations comparable to, but not overtaken by, the genomics tools available today.
“We need all these tools, old and new, to meet our global commitment to protect and improve the health of humans and animals today – thank you.”
She will present her Leeuwenhoek Lecture at the Royal Society later this year.
The Royal Society was founded in 1660 and its Leeuwenhoek Medal and Lecture has been awarded since 1950. Originally created to recognise excellence in the field of microbiology, the award now also celebrates excellence in bacteriology, microscopy, virology, mycology and parasitology.
Professor Oliver Pybus, vice-principal (research and innovation) at RVC, said: “We, at RVC, are incredibly proud of Professor Webster’s achievements in infectious disease research. The Royal Society’s prestigious Leeuwenhoek Medal is well deserved recognition for her significant contributions to the field.”
Image (C) Royal Veterinary College.
