Dr Thomas McWilliams, a former postdoctoral researcher in the labs of Professors Ian Ganley and Miratul Muqit, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Young Scientist Anders Jahre Award for Medical Research—a distinguished honour recognising groundbreaking contributions to Nordic basic medical science. This is the second such recognition Tom has received since his election as a Scholar of the FENS-KAVLI Network of Excellence in 2021.

After his time at MRC PPU, where he advanced our understanding of autophagy using novel reporter models in the Ganley Lab and explored PINK1’s role in Parkinson’s disease in the Muqit Lab, Tom took the leap to independence. In 2018, he established his own laboratory in Helsinki, where his team investigates how autophagy is regulated in the brain—and its links to aging and neurodegenerative disorders.

Reacting to the award, Professor Ganley shared his excitement:

“This is wonderful news! Tom is an exceptional scientist and thoroughly deserving of this award. It’s so great to see that he’s built upon his MRC PPU work to lead such an innovative research programme. I’m sure more great things will follow!”

Professor Muqit, added: “It is great to see Tom’s research go from strength to strength since leaving Dundee and that this has been recognised with such a prestigious award. I am truly delighted.”

More information about the award can be found here and to read more about Tom’s lab click here.