Kavli DPhil Students Recognised in Peter Beaconsfield Prize 2025

Kavli DPhil Students Recognised in Peter Beaconsfield Prize 2025

We’re delighted to share that this year’s Peter Beaconsfield Prize in Physiological Sciences has been awarded exclusively to students from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (DPAG)—all of whom are based in lab groups at the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.

First place went to Mingcheng Xuan (Stevens Group), with runner-up prizes awarded to Rea Tresa (Stevens Group) and Sarah Franks (Ryan Group). This marks the first time in the 10-year history of the competition that all winners have come from DPAG and from Kavli labs.

The Peter Beaconsfield Prize recognises postgraduate students who can bridge the gap between basic and clinical science. Entrants are asked to rework their DPhil transfer report into an accessible, 1,000-word essay that highlights the wider significance and translational potential of their research.

Mingcheng Xuan, whose essay focused on a bio-inspired microneedle platform, said:

“I’m incredibly grateful to have received the Peter Beaconsfield Prize. It’s rewarding to see the work on the bio-inspired microneedle platform was recognised, and it’s a real encouragement to continue pursuing research that I’m passionate about.”

Rea Tresa reflected on her runner-up award:

“Being awarded the runner-up prize for the Peter Beaconsfield Prize has been a deeply encouraging milestone in my DPhil. Working in the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building – named after the scientist who elucidated insulin’s structure – it’s especially meaningful for our team to contribute to the next chapter in type 1 diabetes: one that unites engineering, physiology, and clinical insight to bring us closer to a cure.”

Sarah Franks was also awarded runner-up for her essay, titled “Beyond the battery: Developing a novel imaging assay to decode mitochondrial function,” which explored new tools to better understand mitochondrial health. She said:

“I am ecstatic to have been awarded the runner-up Peter Beaconsfield Prize for my essay. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that my writing successfully conveyed the exciting potential applications of my research to a broad scientific audience, and I look forward to bringing these ideas to fruition.”

Congratulations to Mingcheng, Rea, and Sarah for this brilliant achievement.