SEAC PhD Award for Scientific Communication
The SEAC PhD Award for Science Communication is an annual prize that recognises excellence in science communication by a PhD student currently funded by Unilever SEAC. The prize, launched in May 2014 and first awarded in 2015 at the “Celebrating 25 years of SEAC’s Science & Technology” symposium, is awarded every year in June.
The Prize was awarded to the most impactful presentation (oral or poster) or accepted manuscript. In 2021 we updated the remit of the PhD Award prize to recognise the student(s) able to convey their science using the most clear, engaging, and impactful communication for a non-expert scientific audience, by producing a short video of their PhD research (3-5 minutes) explaining their science. The winners of the SEAC PhD Award for Scientific Communication are listed below.
2022 - Jacob Collins – Birmingham University
Nominations
- More than just a tool – computers as assistants in chemical toxicology by Charles Gong – University of Cambridge
- Modelling the oral microbiome by Jay Singh Sangha – University of Newcastle (runner-up)
- Drug risk assessment and repurposing using biomimetic chromatography and body-on-chip technology by Liam Carr–University of Edinburgh
- Next generation risk assessment of the anti-androgen flutamide including the contribution of its active metabolite hydroxyflutamide by Tessa van Tongeren – Wageningen University
- Integrating omics, imaging, and informatics to develop physiology-based kinetic (PBK) models for perturbation biology in an invertebrate model species by Jacob Collins – Birmingham University
- Measurement of chemical penetration and distribution in skin using raman imaging and chemometrics by Anukrati Goel – University of Surrey
2021 - Jacob Anderson – University of York
Rainforests on the Edge (Opens in a pop-up window ) by Jacob Anderson – University of York
Nominations
- Rainforests on the Edge by Jacob Anderson – University of York
- NGRA to inform human-relevant safe levels of chemicals with putative anti-androgenic effects by Tessa van Tongeren – University of Wageningen
2020 - Andrew Wedlake – University of Cambridge
Andrew Wedlake, the University of Cambridge for his manuscript entitled: Structural Alerts and Random Forest Models in a Consensus Approach for Receptor Binding Molecular Initiating Events (Opens in a pop-up window ) published in Chemical Research in Toxicology
Nominations
- Andrew Wedlake, Cambridge University
Title: Structural Alerts and Random Forest Models in a Consensus Approach for Receptor Binding Molecular Initiating Events
Type: Publication
Citation: Andrew J. Wedlake, Maria Folia, Sam Piechota, Timothy E. H. Allen, Jonathan M. Goodman, Steve Gutsell, Paul J. Russell (2020) Chemical Research in Toxicology, 17;33(2):388-401
- Dean Ashley, Cambridge University
Title: Curcumin alleviates palmitate-induced inflammation and glycerolipid accumulation in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells
Type: Poster
Conference: 15th Annual Conference of Metabolomics Society
2019 - Sanne van den Berg – Wageningen University
Sanne van den Berg, Wageningen University for her platform presentation ‘Modelling the sensitivity of aquatic macroinvertebrates to chemicals using traits’ presented at the SETAC Europe annual conference
Nominations
- Sandra Marquardt, Radboud University
Title: Consumption-based biodiversity footprints – do different indicators yield different results?
Type: Publication
Citation: Marquardt, S. G., Guindon, M., Wilting, H. C., Steinmann, Z. J., Sim, S., Kulak, M., & Huijbregts, M. A. (2019). Consumption-based biodiversity footprints–Do different indicators yield different results? Ecological Indicators, 103, 461-470.
- Sanne van den Berg, Wageningen University
Title: Modelling the sensitivity of aquatic macroinvertebrates to chemicals using traits
Type: Presentation
Conference: SETAC, Rome
- Wan Yee Lam, Radboud University
Title: Spatial variability in Greenhouse Gas Footprints of Palm Oil Production in Indonesia
Type: Presentation
Conference: LCA Food Conference 2019, Bangkok
2018 - Melanie Douziech – Radboud University
Melanie Douziech, Radboud University for her research paper ‘Quantifying variability in removal efficiencies of chemicals in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants – a meta-analytical approach’ (Opens in a pop-up window ) published in Environmental Science Processes and Impacts
Nominations
- Anna Blazier, University of Virginia
Title: Metabolic network analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa persister cells
Type: Poster
Conference: 16th International Conference on Pseudomonas
Date: September 2017
- Valerio Barbarossa, Radboud University
Title: Data Descriptor: FLO1K, global maps of mean, maximum and minimum annual streamflow at 1 km resolution from 1960 through 2015
Type: Research paper
Citation: Barbarossa V, Huijbregts MAJ, Beusen AHW, Beck HE, King H, Schipper AM (2018). Data Descriptor: FLO1K, global maps of mean, maximum and minimum annual streamflow at 1 km resolution from 1960 through 2015. Scientific Data, 5, Art. No. 180052
- Melanie Douziech, Radboud University
Title: Quantifying variability in removal efficiencies of chemicals in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants – a meta-analytical approach
Type: Research paper
Citation: Douziech M, Conesa IR, Benítez-López A, Franco A, Huijbregts M, van Zelm R (2018).Quantifying variability in removal efficiencies of chemicals in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants – a meta-analytical approach. Environmental Science Processes and Impacts, 20, 171–82
- Wan Yee Lam, Radboud University
Title: Variability of greenhouse gas footprints of field tomatoes grown for processing: interyear and intercountry assessment
Type: Research paper
Citation: Lam WY, van Zelm R, Benítez-López A, Kulak M, Sim S, King JMH, Huijbregts MAJ (2018). Variability of greenhouse gas footprints of field tomatoes grown for processing: interyear and intercountry assessment. Environmental Science & Technology, 52, 135-44
- Panayiotis Kattou, University of Surrey
Title: Development of a Two-Dimensional Model for Predicting Transdermal Permeation with the Follicular Pathway: Demonstration with a Caffeine Study
Citation: Kattou P, Lian G, Glavin S, Sorrell I, Chen T (2017). Development of a Two-Dimensional Model for Predicting Transdermal Permeation with the Follicular Pathway: Demonstration with a Caffeine Study. Pharmaceutical Research, 34 (10), 2036–2048
2017 - Yuan Pan – Sheffield University
Yuan Pan, Sheffield University for her platform presentation ‘Using the ecosystem services framework to link scientific research and policy-making: a case study of Lake Tai, China’ presented at SETAC Europe annual conference’ (PDF 1.89 MB) (Opens in a pop-up window )
Nominations
- Yuan Pan, University of Sheffield
Title: Using the ecosystem services framework to link scientific research and policy-making: a case study of Lake Tai, China
Type: Oral presentation
Conference: SETAC Europe annual conference
Date: May 2016
- Maria Sapounidou: Liverpool John Moores University
Title: A Novel Classification Scheme for Organic Compounds to Define Mechanisms of Toxic Action Relevant to Acute Aquatic Toxicity
Type: Oral Presentation
Conference: 17th International Conference on QSAR in Environmental and Health
Date: June 2016
2016 - Nicola Cowley – Manchester University
Nicola Cowley, Manchester University for her research paper Effects of formulation on microbicide potency and mitigation of the development of bacterial insusceptibility (Opens in a pop-up window ) published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Nominations
- Angharad Green, Cardiff University
Title: Using bacterial biosensors to understand the genetic basis for antimicrobial resistance
Type: Oral presentation
Conference: BSAC workshop on Antimicrobial Resistance (British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy), Birmingham, UK
Date: November 2015
- Nicola Cowley, University of Manchester
Title: Effects of formulation on microbicide potency and mitigation of the development of bacterial insusceptibility
Type: Research paper
Citation: Cowley, N., Forbes, S., Amézquita, A., McClure, P., Humphreys, G., and McBain, A. (2015). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 81(20): 7330-8. PMID: 26253662.
- Panayiotis Kattou, University of Surrey
Title: ‘A 2D in-silico model of molecular transfer in skin including the follicular pathway’
Type: Oral presentation
Conference: Perspectives in Percutaneous Penetration (PPP) 15th International Conference, La Grande Motte, France
Date: March/April 2016
2015 - Tim Allen – Cambridge University
Tim Allen, Cambridge University for his research paper ‘Defining molecular initiating events in the adverse outcome pathway framework for risk assessment’ (Opens in a pop-up window ) published in Chemical Research in Toxicology
Nominations
- Miss Angharad Green, Cardiff University
Title: Using bacterial biosensors to understand the genetic basis for antimicrobial resistance
Type: oral presentation at scientific conference
Conference: Society of General Microbiology (SGM) Annual Conference 2015. Birmingham, UK
Date: 30 March 2015
- Tim Allen, University of Cambridge
Title: ‘Defining molecular initiating events in the adverse outcome pathway framework for risk assessment’
Type: research paper
Citation: Allen, T.E., Goodman, J.M., Gutsell, S., Russell, P.J. (2014). ‘Defining molecular initiating events in the adverse outcome pathway framework for risk assessment’ Chemical Research in Toxicology Vol. 27 pp. 2100-2112
- Floris Groothuis, Utrecht University
Title: ‘Protein and Plastic Binding: Impact on Cytotoxicity of Cationic Surfactants In Vitro’
Type: Poster presentation
Conference: SOT (San Diego, California)
Date: March 2015
- Ying Zhu, Lancaster University
Title: A new multimedia contaminant fate model for China: how important are environmental parameters in influencing chemical persistence and long-range transport potential?
Type: Research Paper
Citation: Zhu Y, Price OR, Tao S, Jones KC, Sweetman AJ (2014). ‘A new multimedia contaminant fate model for China: how important are environmental parameters in influencing chemical persistence and long-range transport potential?’ Environment International Vol. 69 pp. 18-27
Date: August 2014
Chinese Society of Toxicology (C-SOT) and Unilever Alternatives to Animal Testing (AAT) Awards
Unilever has a strong reputation for scientific excellence in the development and application of non-animal approaches to safety assessment. This reputation is underpinned by strategic investment in internal and external research activities, together with strong partnerships with safety and regulatory scientists worldwide.
As part of our commitment to recognise scientific contributions and reward high-quality research and development that has an impact on 21st-century safety science without animal testing, Unilever, in partnership with C-SOT, sponsored five AAT awards each year (2016 to 2018) in China. Two ‘contribution awards’ were presented to pioneer scientists who had committed themselves to the advancement of AAT in China and had already made a significant contribution to the field. In addition, three ‘innovation awards were given to outstanding scientists who had completed a piece of primary research or technical development published in a peer-reviewed journal or a book in the last 3 years.
The awards helped to recognise and raise awareness of the leading research and development in the area of non-animal approaches to safety assessment in China. Therefore, C-SOT and Unilever agreed to run the awards for another 3 years from 2019 to 2021. The C-SOT AAT award was upgraded to one type of award called the “C-SOT AAT Development Award”. We hope all previous winners and experts in the field will encourage fellow scientists to develop and publish more new tools and non-animal approaches to safety which could win C-SOT/Unilever AAT awards in the future.
For further information on the award, please contact Jin.Li@unilever.com.
2022 - Winners
- Professor RuiXue Huang, XiangYa School of Public Heath, Central South University
- Contributions: Quantitative structure–activity relationship models; Adverse outcome pathways; developing and educating talents on AAT - Professor Qi Wang, School of Public Health, Peking University
- Contributions: Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling; DNA damage response signalling pathways; scientific communications and organising international meetings - Professor Xiaowei, Zhang, School of Environment, Nanjing University
- Contributions: Mechanistic understanding of the adverse health and ecological effects by pollutants; development of novel non-animal approaches using in vitro high-throughput screening for profiling pathway-based chemical bioactivity
2021 - Winners
C-SOT AAT Development Award Winner
• Professor Hui Wang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)
2019 - Winners
C-SOT AAT Development Award Winner(s)
• Dr Xudong Jia (China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA))
• Professor Guojun Li (Beijing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing-CDC)
2018 - Winners
Contribution Award Winner
• Professor Weidong Hao (Peking University)
Innovation Award Winner(s)
• Dr Qiang Bian (Jiangsu Centre of Disease Control and Prevention)
• Dr Huihui Wang (China Medical University)
• Dr Xiaoyan Yuan (Academy of Military Medical Science)
2017 - Winners
Contribution Award Winner(s)
• Professor Xingfen Yang (Guangdong Province Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China)
• Professor Dr Zhengming He (The National Institute for Food and Drug Quality Control – NIFDC)
Innovation Award Winner(s)
• Dr Jiabin Guo (Academy of Military Medical Science)
• Dr Liming Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Dr Li Wang (Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
2016 - Winners
Contribution Award Winner(s)
• Professor Shuangqing Peng (Academy of Military Medical Sciences; vice-president of C-SOT and president of Toxicology Alternatives and Translational Toxicology (TATT) subcommittee of C-SOT)
• Dr Shujun Cheng (Guang Dong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (China))
Innovation Award Winner(s)
• Professor Ying Yang (GuangDong-Centre of Disease Control, Guangzhou)
• Dr Junchao Duan (Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing)
• Dr Aihua Gu (Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing)