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UCL neuroscientist recognised with honorary MBE

14 February 2025

Congratulations to UCL’s Professor Mary Reilly, a globally renowned and award-winning clinical neurologist, who has been awarded an honorary MBE for her services to medicine.

Professor Mary Reilly

Professor Reilly (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) was recognised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as part of the honorary awards to foreign nationals 2024.  

The honours are approved by HM The King and are given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the UK. 

Professor Reilly is Professor of Neurology and head of the Division of Clinical Neurology in UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. She is an outstanding clinical scientist in academic clinical neurology and is internationally recognised as a pioneer in inherited peripheral neuropathies. 

Her research explores inherited peripheral neuropathies, a type of nerve damage, encompassing gene identification, pathogenetic studies, natural history studies, outcome measures and clinical trials. Her major research interest are Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) and hereditary transthyretign amyloidosis (hTTRA). 

Throughout her career, Professor Reilly has demonstrated leadership, co-founding the UCL Queen Square Clinical Trials Centre, a collaborative central research centre for neurology and neurosurgery, the UCL Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, where she is Co-Director, and subsequently helping to establish the UCL International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases, where she is Co-Director. 

She has served as President of the Association of British Neurologist (ABN), President of the British Peripheral Nerve Society (BPNS), and President of the international Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS). In 2020 she was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and she was awarded Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology in 2023. 

In 2024 Professor Reily was awarded the prestigious Alan J. Gebhart Prize for Excellence in Peripheral Nerve Research at the Peripheral Nerve Society.  

Upon learning of her award, Professor Reilly said: "I am very honoured to receive this award which has been made possible by working with an amazing clinical and research neuromuscular team in Queen Square and with huge support from many other excellent colleagues in Queen Square, UCL and UCLH”. 

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  • Professor Mary Reilly  

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Media contact 

Sophie Hunter  

E: Sophie.hunter@ucl.ac.uk