The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine has honoured Dr Vilaiwan Fernandes with a 2025 Lister Prize, marking the occasion with a distinguished Lister Prize Lecture celebrating her pioneering work in developmental neurobiology.
Dr Fernandes, a Principal Research Fellow in the UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology is among eight outstanding scientists selected as 2025 Lister Fellows. The highly competitive award recognises exceptional early-career researchers and provides flexible funding over five years to support innovative biomedical research.
At the Lister Prize Lecture, Dr Fernandes presented research on the mechanisms that govern neuronal diversity during brain development. Her work tackles a central challenge in neuroscience - the brain’s limited capacity for regeneration - by exploring how cell types are programmed into functional neurons.
Receiving the award, Dr Fernandes said: “Winning the Lister Prize is a tremendous honour that gives me the freedom to pursue new directions in my research. It will enable my lab to apply developmental neurobiology insights to the challenge of neuronal reprogramming.”
The Lister Prize is one of the UK’s most prestigious biomedical research awards, designed to support scientists in the early stages of leading their own research groups. By providing long-term, flexible funding, the prize enables recipients to pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas that have the potential to transform understanding in their fields.
Dr Fernandes joins a cohort of leading researchers tackling fundamental questions in biology, and her lecture highlighted both the scientific ambition and translational potential of her work. Her recognition as a Lister Fellow underscores her growing impact in the field of neurogenesis and regenerative neuroscience.
About the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine
The Lister Institute is a charitable foundation supporting outstanding biomedical scientists through research prizes and fellowships, fostering innovation in medical science and improving human health.
Links
Vilaiwan Fernandes UCL Profile
Watch a video about Vilaiwan’s research
UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology