News & Events

2020 Fellows of Academy of Medical Sciences

13/05/20

Oscar Marín, Director of the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, has been elected as a Fellow to the Academy of Medical Sciences, an accolade to the excellence of his contributions to the medical sciences.

Fellows are central to the work of the Academy of Medical Sciences, whose mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. The Academy seeks to promote and develop high quality medical science to position the UK to lead the world in medical and health research and improve global health through the best research. The organisation is supported by its Fellows through four key objectives: promoting excellence, developing talented researchers, influencing research and policy and engaging patients, the public and professionals.

Fellows are drawn from a wide array of medical science research from the wet lab through to social science and the law. Oscar Marín and his lab’s research focusses on the development of the cortex in both health and disease. Their work contributes to understanding the aetiology of some of the most devastating neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders by looking at how and why the cortex may develop differently in these conditions. Multiple lines of evidence support the hypothesis that cortical interneuron dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia. Oscar’s work on the mechanisms controlling the migration, final allocation and connectivity of cortical interneurons builds upon this, offering crucial insights for translation into clinical initiatives.

Of his election as Fellow, Oscar Marín said:

“I am delighted to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This great honour reflects the collective research efforts of the many talented technicians, students, postdocs and fellows I’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the years. I look forward to working with other Fellows to advance biomedical research and, in particular, to promote the progression of early career researchers through this difficult period. Our society needs their talent, now more than ever”

Oscar and the other newly elected Fellows will be formally admitted as Fellows to the Academy of Medical Sciences at a ceremony in London later this year.