We proudly sponsored this year’s STEM for Britain awards, hosted in the Houses of Parliament on 17 March 2026. Organised by the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee, the annual poster competition provides members of both Houses with a unique opportunity to gain insight into the exceptional early career research being carried out at universities across the UK.
As part of the competition, the Physiological Society had its own prize to shine a spotlight on a physiology researcher, their work, and its importance. The Society Prize was judged by a panel of physiologists, including Society President Professor Mike Tipton and EDI Committee Chair Professor Nephtali Marina-Gonzalez
Physiological Society Prize winner: Puja Mehta
This year, the Society Prize was awarded to Dr Puja Mehta, a clinician-scientist at University College London and Neurology doctor working at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Puja’s winning poster was focused on Motor Neuron Disease (MND), exploring the development of a state-of-the-art gene therapy aiming to restore nerve growth and communication between motor nerves.
Speaking on her research, Puja shared:
“MND is still a diagnosis with very few answers. I want to help change that. The goal of our work is to get to a point where, as a clinician, I can tell a patient they have MND and follow it with something hopeful – a treatment, a pathway, a reason to believe things can be different. That’s what drives this research.”
Engaging Policymakers with science
Reflecting on her experience at the event, Puja highlighted the significance of presenting research directly to policymakers:
“Walking into the House of Parliament for the STEM for Britain awards was a moment I won’t forget. Being able to speak directly with politicians and policymakers about my research felt genuinely meaningful – science rarely gets that kind of platform. Receiving the Physiological Society Prize, in their 150th anniversary year, was one of the proudest moments of my career so far.”
Celebrating Excellence in STEM
We congratulate all the finalists who presented their research at STEM for Britain 2026 and contributed to an inspiring showcase across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
You can view the full list of winners on the STEM for Britain website: https://stemforbritain.org.uk/stem-for-britain-winners-2026/