The Sharpey-Schafer Prize Lecture for Translational Physiology
This annual lecture has a focus on the translatability of physiological research outside academia.
Nominations for the 2026 Sharpey-Schafer Prize Lecture for Translational Physiology have now closed.
Who can be nominated?
- All physiologists are eligible, but the nomination should describe how the work of the nominee has translated outside of academia
- You can nominate another person but not yourself
What is the award?
- £750 award
- Lecture is delivered at a Society conference or online
- Publication in Experimental Physiology, subject to Editorial Board agreement
What are the selection criteria?
The Prize Lecture Award Panel base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria listed below. The selection committee will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize and nominators should include the following information:
- What their citation count or h-index is
- A description of how the body of work of the nominee has changed our understanding of physiology (150 words)
- A description of how the nominee increased the translatability of physiological research outside academia (150 words)
- Details of any career breaks and/or challenges that may have been overcome (150 words)
How can I nominate?
Nominations open from 1 October to 30 November
Guidelines for nominators
- Nominations open 1 October
- Nominations close 30 November
- Anyone can nominate for this prize
- Nominees may NOT nominate themselves
- The prize is open to nominees based in the UK and Internationally
- There are no career stage restrictions associated with this prize
- We will not consider nominations of deceased individuals
- Nominees can only be considered for one of our prizes in any given year. In a case where a nominee is nominated for more than one prize independently, it is at the discretion of the Prize Lecture Award Panel which prize they will be considered for.
- Trustees of The Physiological Society are not eligible to be nominated
- When nominating previous prize winners, please remember that a person cannot be awarded twice for substantially the same body of work.
- Nominees should only be nominated once for this prize in any given prize cycle. In cases where we receive more than one nomination for the same nominee, only one nomination will go forward to the panel.
Previous winners
2013: William A Catterall (at IUPS)
2016: Emma Hart
2019: Roger Smith
2022: Sofia-Iris Bibli
Who was Sir Edward Sharpey-Schafer?
Edward Sharpey-Schafer (1850-1935)
Edward Schafer was an English physiologist and Fellow of the Royal Society. He studied under the tutelage of William Sharpey. His reverence for his teacher was such that he changed his name to Sharpey-Schafer later in life as a token of respect.
He was one of the nineteen founder members of the Physiological Society in 1876 and he also founded and edited Experimental Physiology from 1908 until 1933. He is renowned for his invention of the Schäfer method of artificial respiration.He also co-discovered adrenaline and coined the term ‘endocrine’ as the generic term for such secretions.
The Physiological Society established the Sharpey-Schafer Prize Lecture funded by bequests from Sir Edward Sharpey-Schafer (1850–1935) and his daughter Miss GM Sharpey-Schafer and in memory of Sir Edward and his grandson Professor EP Sharpey-Schafer.
