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Full list of individuals and teams who received an award or commendation at the Creating Impact Through Knowledge Exchange Awards 2025.
Provost's Spirit of Innovation
This award celebrates individuals who embody an ongoing attitude of innovation in research, teaching or learning.
Winner: Professor Nguyễn T. K. Thanh
Nguyễn TK Thanh is a Professor of Nanomaterials at the Healthcare Biomagnetics and Nanomaterials Laboratories and Biophysics Group, UCL Department of Physics & Astronomy.
As Vice Dean (Innovation & Enterprise) at UCL’s Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MAPS), Thanh has significantly advanced innovation and enterprise efforts, expanding support through funding opportunities like the flexible innovation and enterprise grants. She streamlined the MAPS impact studentships process and introduced initiatives like a seminar series connecting industry leaders, alumni and academics, along with workshops and clinics to promote knowledge exchange.
Thanh’s research has resulted in patents and translational grants, including one for using magnetic doped iron oxide nanoflowers in cancer treatment. Her leadership has transformed the faculty’s innovation culture, launching programs such as the Innovation and Enterprise prizes and knowledge exchange workshops that foster academic-industry collaboration.
Passionate about translating research into societal impact, Thanh encourages students and researchers to focus on the real-world potential of their work.
Commendation: Professor Dean Barratt
Dean Barratt is Professor of Medical Image Computing, UCL Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering.
Since joining UCL in 2005, Dean has been instrumental in translating new image analysis algorithms for cancer diagnosis and treatment into clinical practice. One of his major achievements is the creation and commercialisation of SmartTarget, an AI-powered image-guided surgery system for precise prostate tumour targeting during needle biopsy and treatment. After receiving regulatory approval in 2017, the technology was acquired by Intuitive Fusion (now Focalyx) in 2019 and is now used in thousands of patient cases each year in 14 centres globally.
Dean also founded a service at UCL in 2017 to assist researchers and spin-outs with medical device regulatory compliance and quality management. This service, now part of the UCL Hawkes Institute, offers resources, software, and educational materials to support the commercialisation of medical technologies.
Throughout his career, Dean has fostered innovation, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships, providing support and resources to UCL staff and students and continues to promote knowledge exchange beyond the university.
Impactful Partnership with Industry
This award recognises UCL collaborations with industry partners that have delivered significant impact.
Winner: Professor Paola Giunti
Professor Paola Giunti is a Professorial Research Associate at the Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.
This winning partnership, with Reata Pharmaceuticals (now Biogen) has delivered the first FDA-approved treatment for Friedreich’s Ataxia, a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. Paola provided crucial scientific expertise to validate the drug, Omaveloxolone, enabling a global clinical trial where UCL served as the UK’s sole trial site.
The collaboration addressed numerous challenges, from refining lab models to ensuring patient involvement throughout the research and trial process. It also provided valuable insights into the health economics of treating rare diseases, culminating in the presentation of findings at the European Parliament.
The partnership also led to the establishment of the Ataxia Centre London, recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the US National Ataxia Foundation. This centre integrates cutting-edge research with clinical care, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
Impactful Partnership with an SME
This award celebrates UCL collaborations with small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that achieved meaningful impact.
Winner: Dr Bing Li
Dr Bing Li is a lecturer in advanced biosensing technology in the UCL Institute for Materials Discovery.
Graphenea is a technology company that produces graphene, a material used in electronics and other industrial applications.
The partnership between UCL and Graphenea has advanced graphene-based biosensors for early dementia diagnosis, addressing a significant societal challenge. With Graphenea’s expertise in graphene fabrication and UCL’s expertise in biosensor development, the partnership developed impactful research as well as innovations in clinical applications.
The collaboration also extended to teaching, with Graphenea hosting UCL staff for entrepreneurship training, and delivering guest talks for over 400 MSc students. Joint workshops and lab visits promoted knowledge exchange, while collaborative funding applications secured resources for ongoing innovations.
Impactful Partnership with Public and Third Sector
This award recognises UCL collaborations with organisations such as charities or non-profits, that have delivered positive impact.
Winner: IOE - Faculty of Education and Society team
Team members:
- Professor Elaine Chase
- Professor Eileen Kennedy
- Professor Diana Laurillard
- Professor Tejendra Pherali
- Dr Gabi Witthaus
The winning team collaborated with civil society organisations in Lebanon and on the Thailand-Myanmar border on co-designing professional development for teachers in conflict and crisis settings.
Co-designed massive open online collaborations (CoMOOCs) have empowered teachers through collaborative, scalable professional development. These CoMOOCs, co-created with local educators, have reached over 100,000 practitioners across 167 countries, enabling knowledge exchange among teachers globally and fostering South-South collaboration.
The initiative supports teachers in navigating challenges like limited digital infrastructure, while also facilitating pathways to internationally recognised qualifications such as the University of London PGCE in Teacher Development.
Find out more about the CoMOOCs project.
Professional Services Support for Knowledge Exchange
This award honours professional services individuals or teams who have gone above and beyond to support knowledge exchange.
Winner: Structurally Unsound
Team members:
- Dr Olivia Stevenson
- Siobhan Morris
- Ethne James-Souch
- Dr Sinéad Murphy
This collaboration between UCL Grand Challenges, UCL Public Policy and the Resolution Foundation brought together over 50 organisations from academia, policy, industry and third-sector to tackle structural inequalities in the UK.
Through a combination of roundtables, network building, high-impact reports, podcasts and films, their work has generated fresh ideas and pragmatic pathways to progress multifaceted issues.
Find out more about Structurally Unsound.
Commercialisation Achievement of the Year
This award recognises exceptional achievements in the commercialisation of UCL research or innovations.
Winner: Professor Quentin Pankhurst
Quentin Pankhurst is Professor of Physics and Director of UCL’s Healthcare Biomagnetics Laboratory.
Built on Quentin’s research, the spin-out Endomag has revolutionised breast cancer treatment with its magnetic-based technology. Their injectable magnetic nanoparticles allow for accurate and instant assessment of disease progression in lymph nodes. And their tiny magnetic ‘seeds’ help pinpoint tumours, reduce the extent of surgery and levels of discomfort.
Endomag’s technologies have helped over 550,000 patients in 1,350 hospitals across 45 countries. The company’s success led to its acquisition by U.S. diagnostics company Hologic for US$310 million. Its technology is now being explored for staging other cancers, expanding its potential impact and demonstrating the power of research-driven commercialisation.
Find out more about Endomag.
Consultant of the Year
This award recognises an outstanding consultant who has made a significant impact through their expertise and contributions to UCL projects.
Winner: Professor Paul Ruyssevelt
Professor Paul Ruyssevelt, Chair of Energy & Building Performance, leads the UCL Building Stock Lab at UCL Energy Institute.
The Building Stock Lab is a team of researchers focused on analysing energy use in buildings. They collect detailed data to develop models that help improve energy efficiency across the UK. Their consultancy work supports clients in making data-driven decisions to reduce carbon emissions and meet sustainability goals.
The team's major project, the National Building Database (NBD) for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), is a significant ongoing effort to improve the understanding of UK building energy performance. Once complete, this consultancy project will enable DESNZ to make informed decisions and plays a crucial role in meeting the UK’s long-term carbon reduction targets.
Find out more about the UCL Building Stock Lab.
Most Impactful Startup
This award celebrates a start-up supported by UCL Innovation & Enterprise that has made a significant impact through innovation, growth, and positive societal or economic outcomes.
Winner: eNOugh
eNOugh was founded by UCL alumni Ina Jovicic (MSc Entrepreneurship) and Gaelic Jara Reinhold (BEng Engineering).
Motivated by personal experience to tackle women’s safety at night, eNOugh have developed a wearable badge to deter harassment and protect individuals. It can record the wearer’s location as well as footage, and uses AI to detect threats and alert the police. 18 months after joining UCL’s Hatchery incubator programme at BaseKX, eNOugh have raised their first round of investment, and have a tangible product available for pre-orders.
eNOugh are champions of the support they received from the Hatchery, and are engaged members of the UCL's incubator community, helping fellow founders whenever possible.
Find out more about eNOugh.