Professor Nicholas Casewell has been named as a finalist in the UK’s leading prize for young scientists for the second year in a row.
As a finalist in the 2026 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom, Professor Casewell is recognised as one of the country’s best young researchers in the life sciences field. The 2026 Laureates will be announced at a special awards ceremony in London on February 24.
An independent jury of expert scientists selected this year’s nine finalists from a pool of 91 nominees representing 46 academic and research institutions across the UK.
Professor Casewell was recognised for his achievements leading Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions (CSRI), specifically having “advanced laboratory techniques, including AI-informed approaches, to study snake venom and develop safer, more effective, state-of-the-art treatments that can reach vulnerable communities worldwide.”
Over the last year, he has led the completion of the first-ever Phase I clinical trial for a new oral treatment for snakebite, and helped to co-develop the world’s first product-ready, lab-produced, recombinant snakebite antivenom.
He said: “It is a great honour to have been nominated as a finalist for this award. I am so very grateful for the support of a fantastic team at CSRI, many incredible international collaborators, and several inspiring mentors, without whom our research would not have had the same impact. I am also very grateful that the Blavatnik Family Foundation have chosen to recognise the importance of the work that we are doing on tropical snakebite to alleviate the life-threatening consequences of this neglected tropical disease.”
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are the largest unrestricted prizes available to UK scientists aged 42 or younger, organised by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences. Internationally recognised by the scientific community, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are instrumental in expanding engagement and recognition for young scientists and in providing the support and encouragement needed to drive scientific innovation for the next generation.
Professor Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Awards’ Scientific Advisory Council, said: “I congratulate these nine Finalists for their groundbreaking work and daring ideas. Their research exemplifies the spirit of innovation — pushing boundaries, opening exciting frontiers, and laying the foundation for discoveries that will transform lives and advance science for generations to come.”
Sir Leonard Blavatnik, Founder of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, said: “The Awards were created to honour outstanding, early-career scientists, accelerate their research, and ensure that discoveries with the potential to dramatically improve society are recognized, supported, and implemented.”
Members of the public interested in learning more about this year’s honourees' research may register to attend a free public symposium titled “Leading with Discovery: UK Scientists Shaping Global Science” at the Royal Society of Medicine on Wednesday, 25 February 2026, from 10:00 to 15:00 GMT. To attend this free public symposium, register here.