{"id":1284,"date":"2025-11-07T13:22:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T13:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/?p=1284"},"modified":"2025-11-14T09:30:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T09:30:33","slug":"kings-outstanding-thesis-prize-winners-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/2025\/11\/07\/kings-outstanding-thesis-prize-winners-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"King&#8217;s Outstanding Thesis Prize Winners 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post-header\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #444444;font-size: 2em;font-weight: bold\">King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize Winners 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-header\">\n<p>Each year the King\u2019s Doctoral College gives out a limited number of awards to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King\u2019s doctoral students.<\/p>\n<p>The King&#8217;s Outstanding Thesis Prize Winners receive their awards at their graduation ceremony and also receive a \u00a3250 prize.<\/p>\n<p>The Winners of the Second Round are:<\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Luke Vano, <\/span><\/b>Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &amp; Neuroscience<\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Multimodal Imaging Links Elevated Striatal Dopamine Synthesis in Schizophrenia with High Neuromelanin and Brain Iron Deficiency.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1292\" style=\"width: 251px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1292\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1292\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"Luke Vano\" width=\"241\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-821x1024.jpg 821w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-768x958.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-1231x1536.jpg 1231w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-1642x2048.jpg 1642w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Luke_Vano-676x843.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1292\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luke Vano<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I am deeply honoured to have been awarded a King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I joined the Maudsley Psychiatry Training Programme with the ambition of contributing to cutting-edge research. After many unanswered emails to prospective supervisors, I began to think it might not be possible\u2014until I attended a lecture by Oliver Howes on the biological basis of schizophrenia. Captivated by his insights, I reached out, and he responded. Since then, Oliver has been an exceptional mentor, providing constant support and guidance. I am also grateful to Ian Everall, whose encouragement and inspiration have been invaluable throughout my research journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My PhD investigated how changes in brain iron and neuromelanin\u2014a product of dopamine metabolism\u2014relate to dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia. Using MRI and PET imaging, I provided evidence that patients with schizophrenia have higher neuromelanin levels but lower brain iron compared to healthy controls, and that these changes are linked to elevated dopamine synthesis. The findings suggest that disruptions in iron homeostasis and neuromelanin production contribute to striatal hyperdopaminergia in schizophrenia\u2014a hallmark of the disorder. Investigating the origin of these abnormalities may offer new biomarkers and treatment targets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The analysis pipelines developed for this thesis are rooted on the pioneering work of Robert McCutcheon. His ability to demystify the most complex topics has often left me in awe. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had him as a supervisor. I am also indebted to Jan Sedlacik, Stephen Kaar, Grazia Rutigliano, and Mattia Veronese for their guidance and for making my time in research so enjoyable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I am currently continuing my research at King\u2019s as a postdoctoral researcher, alongside continuing my psychiatry training.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Find out more about Luke&#8217;s postdoctoral research on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/drlukevano\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Yong Li, Faculty of Life Sciences &amp; Medicine<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Novel methods for estimating (poly)phenol consumption: relationship with cardiometabolic health.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"attachment_1298\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1298\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1298\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18-300x251.jpg\" alt=\"Yong Li\" width=\"300\" height=\"251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18-768x644.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18-676x567.jpg 676w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-18.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1298\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yong Li<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is with immense pride and gratitude that I accept the King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize. My academic journey began in China with a BSc in Food Quality and Safety at Nanjing Agricultural University, followed by an MSc in Nutrition and Food Hygiene at Peking University, where I graduated among the top of the department and developed a strong foundation in public health nutrition, epidemiology, and experimental research. I also actively engaged in public health outreach\u2014founding a OneHealth student society, coordinating cross-national academic workshops, and participating in HIV prevention campaigns, which cultivated my commitment to translating scientific insight into public benefit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">During my PhD at King&#8217;s, I pioneered novel methodological approaches to assess (poly)phenol intake and its role in cardiometabolic health. I developed the King\u2019s College London (Poly)phenol Food Frequency Questionnaire, a (poly)phenol-rich dietary score, and a corresponding metabolic signature, which were all applied to the TwinsUK cohort (n = 3110). This work revealed significant inverse associations between adherence to (poly)phenol-rich diets and cardiovascular risk scores, contributing meaningful tools to nutritional epidemiology. The work led to 13 publications with 10 as first author (including 2 under-review) in leading international journals, along with 18 abstracts presented and 7 oral presentations at prestigious international conferences, and five awards, competitive travel and registration grants. I was also selected as a finalist in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences category at STEM for BRITAIN 2024, where I presented my research to MPs at the Houses of Parliament, which allowed me to discuss the public health relevance and methodological contributions of my work directly with policymakers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Moving forward, I will continue my academic path and further apply the tools developed during my PhD. I also look forward to completing several publications and pursuing new collaborations in nutrition and public health.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thanks again for this incredible recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">You can discover more about Yong Li&#8217;s work on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/yong-li-a515912b7\">LinkedIn<\/a> and Twitter: <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">@YongLi35986394<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Guiming Han, King&#8217;s Business School<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Shocks, Budget Stickiness, and Network Effects in Retail Investor Decision-Making.<\/strong><\/em><em><strong>&#8220;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1290\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1290\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1290\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Guiming Han\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Guiming_Han-676x451.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1290\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Guiming Han<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am honoured to have received the 2024\/25 King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I am deeply grateful to my supervisors, Professor Alex Preda and Dr Filippos Papakonstantinou, as well as my colleagues and friends at King\u2019s, for their guidance and encouragement throughout my doctoral journey.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:480}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Before starting my PhD, I graduated with distinction in MSc Corporate Finance at King\u2019s Business School and gained professional experience in investment analysis and project management in Shanghai. These experiences provided a strong foundation in both practice and theory, motivating me to return to King\u2019s to pursue a doctorate in Finance.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:480}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">My thesis consists of three essays in empirical finance that explore how trader behaviour shapes investment decisions and outcomes. The first investigates how risk preferences shift after trading shocks, uncovering asymmetric behavioural responses between small and large shocks. The second introduces the concept of budget stickiness, showing that adherence to pre-set budgets fosters more disciplined trading and better performance. The third examines status competition in online social trading platforms, highlighting how network initiation informally regulates competition. Collectively, the thesis advances our understanding of risk, financial personality traits, and social dynamics in markets.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:480}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Looking ahead, I plan to continue an academic career, extending my research on behavioural finance, networks, and the digital economy, with the aim of contributing to both scholarly debates and policy-relevant insights.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:480}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If you\u2019d like to find out more about Guiming\u2019s current research, then please check out his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/guiming-han-457471265\">LinkedIn<\/a> page.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Eleanor Gluck, Faculty of Arts &amp; Humanities<\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Relational and Strange: A Queer Reading of Aury, Bataille and Sade in Translation.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1288\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1288\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1288\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-300x271.jpg\" alt=\"Eleanor Gluck\" width=\"300\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-300x271.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-1024x925.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-768x693.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-1536x1387.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck-676x610.jpg 676w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Eleanor_Gluck.jpg 1742w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1288\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eleanor Gluck<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Following my undergraduate degree at the University of Glasgow, having spent a year living and working in Toulouse, I returned to South Wales, where I grew up, to study for a Masters in Translation at the University of Swansea. This was made possible thanks to a grant and funding from the Welsh government. Though the MA was concerned primarily with the practicalities of technical translation, I grew increasingly interested in the theoretical and practical delicacies of translating literature, specifically as it involves the re-writing of gender, sexuality, and sex.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The work of William Spurlin was a major source of inspiration, motivating the pursuit of a PhD. It was, then, for me, a full circle moment to have the opportunity not only to meet William but have him be one of my examiners. The viva turned out to be &#8211; thanks to William and Elliott Evans (who, as it turns out, in another full circle moment, went to the same comprehensive school in South Wales as me) &#8211; a humbling and joyous experience.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Over the course of my PhD, I became a mother to my daughter Mabli. I have been supported immeasurably over the course of it by my partner Tom, as well as friends, family, and, especially, our daughter\u2019s childminders. Finally, in the first place, this PhD would never have been remotely possible without my supervisor Ros Murray who championed it from the start and was a steadfast source of courage, inspiration, and friendship. I left every meeting with Ros buoyed.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Since completing my PhD I have been working on getting my thesis published as a monograph, while, until recently, being a full-time mum. I am not entirely sure what the future holds but I am very grateful to have been able to complete this PhD thanks to funding from LAHP. To receive this award is surreal, and I am very grateful.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You can connect with Eleanor on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/eleanor-gluck-3ba8a5100\/\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-header\">\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Uxio Hermida Nunes, <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Faculty of Life Sciences &amp; Medicine<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Computational Approaches to Unveil the Hidden Fetal Arch Shape and Flow Signatures in Coarctation of the Aorta.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1293\" style=\"width: 261px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1293\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1293\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-251x300.jpg\" alt=\"Uxio Hermida Nunes\" width=\"251\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-251x300.jpg 251w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-855x1024.jpg 855w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-768x920.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-1283x1536.jpg 1283w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-1710x2048.jpg 1710w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Uxio_Nunes-676x809.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1293\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Uxio Hermida Nunes<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I completed my BSc in Biomedical Engineering at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, where I first became interested in cardiac modelling and how computational simulations can help us better understand cardiac disease. During my final year, I joined Philips Research Paris for an internship, working on simulations of cardiac valves using numerical methods. I then moved to London for an MSc in Healthcare Technologies. After a successful MSc project with Professor Pablo Lamata, I began my PhD journey under the supervision of Professor Lamata and Dr Adelaide De Vecchi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">My doctoral research focused on developing computational approaches to study fetal aortic arch morphology and haemodynamics in cases of coarctation of the aorta using novel fetal magnetic resonance imaging. This work was made possible through a close collaboration with the clinical team at St. Thomas&#8217; Hospital (Dr Milou Van Poppel, Dr David Lloyd and Dr Kuberan Pushparajah). Working within this multidisciplinary environment of engineers and clinicians was deeply rewarding and reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration for clinical impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Throughout my PhD, I presented my work at international conferences, published in journals, and was nominated as Best Postgraduate Researcher by the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences. I also represented King\u2019s at the STEM4Britain competition at the UK Parliament and won the HS-DTC Best Scientific Image Award.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">After completing my PhD, I moved to Paris to join Dassault Syst\u00e8mes as a Research Engineer in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3ds.com\/newsroom\/press-releases\/meditwin-launch\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">MEDITWIN<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fproject, developing digital twin technologies for paediatric cardiology. This role allows me to continue pursuing my passion for computational modelling and digital twins in paediatric and fetal cardiology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Receiving the King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize is an honour and a meaningful recognition of this journey. I\u2019m deeply grateful to my supervisors, Professor Pablo Lamata and Dr Adelaide De Vecchi, for their guidance, encouragement, and for fostering such a collaborative and inspiring research environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Check out Uxio&#8217;s research profile on <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=6DkZyrXMyKEC&amp;hl=en\">Google Scholar<\/a>\u00a0and connect on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/uxiohermida\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ilaria Di Dedda, Faculty of Natural, Mathematical &amp; Engineering Sciences<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Type A symplectic Auslander-Reiten theory&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1300\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1300\" class=\"wp-image-1300 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda-300x281.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda-300x281.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda-768x720.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda-676x634.jpg 676w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Ilaria_di_Dedda.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1300\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ilaria Di Dedda<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am honoured to have been awarded one of the King&#8217;s Outstanding Thesis Prizes. I am grateful to my supervisors Professor Yank\u0131 Lekili\u202fand Professor Konni Rietsch, and to my peers and colleagues for their steady support throughout my PhD. I would also like to thank my examiners and the panel for this recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I came to King\u2019s to study for my MSc in Mathematics, after completing a BSc at the Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Torino, Italy. I enjoyed my course, but above everything I loved working on my MSc Final Project, which gave me a first taste of what research in Maths looked like, and which pushed me to pursue a PhD. My PhD thesis studies interactions between symplectic geometry and representation theory, two fertile areas of Mathematics, concerned with the study of both abstract and physical objects. Each area has its own individual set of problems and open questions, which researchers in the respective fields tackle every day, but it is often thanks to these unexpected connections that we are able to find new answers to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">During my PhD, I have presented my research at international conferences and seminars, my work has been accepted for publication, I was the co-winner of the third year \u201cPGR research competition\u201d prize (2023), and I have been nominated for an Outstanding Teaching Assistant (2022) and a King\u2019s Education Award (2023). I am especially pleased to be receiving this Prize after being awarded the equivalent one for my MSc Project in 2019, also under the supervision of Professor Lekili, which makes me feel like my experience at King\u2019s has come full circle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am now fortunate to have a postdoc position at the University of Edinburgh, where I am looking forward to work on new research problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You can read more on Ilaria&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/ilariadidedda\/\">Google Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><b>Victoria Charlton, Faculty of Social Science &amp; Public Policy<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;To what extent can NICE defend its claim to be an ethical priority setter?&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1294\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-scaled.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1294\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1294\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-225x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Victoria Charlton\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-676x901.jpeg 676w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Victoria_Charlton-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1294\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Victoria Charlton<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I am honoured to receive a King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize. I would like to sincerely thank my examiners, supervisors, and the panel for this recognition.<\/p>\n<p>My decision to do a PhD came as a surprise to many \u2013 not least me \u2013 as at the time I\u2019d been working for several years in science policy, first as a Specialist to the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee and later as Head of Policy at the Academy of Medical Sciences. (In my opinion, the best job in the world). But having decided to start a family, my hormone-addled brain thought that part-time doctoral study would be the perfect way to balance flexible working with looking after young children. Nine years on, that decision has paid off and this wonderful prize is further endorsement of a journey that hasn\u2019t always been easy.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve always been fascinated by ethics and was interested in the role that ethical considerations play in shaping \u2013 or failing to shape \u2013 public policy. And nowhere are the ethical implications of policy decisions more salient than in the arena of healthcare priority-setting. My thesis combines empirical research with ethical analysis to explore the role that normative (that is, value-based) commitments play in shaping the priority-setting decisions reached by the UK\u2019s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It finds that though many of the values underpinning NICE\u2019s formal approach are highly coherent and support NICE\u2019s main goal of promoting population health, coherence is sometimes lost in the translation of this approach into real-world decision-making. In a nutshell, though NICE claims to act ethically in making decisions about which new drugs NHS patients should be able to access, my research suggests that this claim cannot be robustly defended.<\/p>\n<p>Since completing my PhD, I have taken some time to consider what comes next. The challenge of combining work with childcare does not, as it turns out, end once the kids are in school so my current plan is to continue working in academia part-time while also embarking on other pursuits. As such, I have recently taken up a position as a Visiting Research Fellow at LSE Health while continuing to publish and teach regularly at Imperial College London \u2013 a portfolio of roles that, in general, means that I\u2019m still available for pick-up at 3.30pm.<\/p>\n<p>Read more about Victoria&#8217;s research on her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/people\/victoria-charlton\">King&#8217;s Profile<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><b>Francesca Ideo, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral &amp; Craniofacial Sciences<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"ewa-rteLine\"><em><strong>&#8220;Apical periodontitis and immune system:Influence of patient\u2019s immunomodulation on endodontic disease.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_1289\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Francesca_Ideo.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1289\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1289\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Francesca_Ideo-225x300.png\" alt=\"Francesca Ideo\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Francesca_Ideo-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Francesca_Ideo.png 423w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1289\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Francesca Ideo<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">It was truly an honour to be a student at King\u2019s College London.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I was an off-site PhD student, as I live in Cagliari, a beautiful city in Sardinia, in the south of Italy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My career in dentistry began with Dental degree in 2013 at the Universitiy of Cagliari, Italy, where I also completed a master\u2019s degree in Clinical and Surgical Endodontics in 2016.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My research stemmed from my long-standing work at the University Hospital of Cagliari. Over the years, I have been involved there first as a student, then as a clinical trainer, and now as a health professional. Being in close contact with patients affected by various conditions and under different treatments helped me realise how deeply systemic and oral health are interconnected. This awareness inspired the topic of my PhD thesis<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I mostly focused on finding a connection between autoimmune-diseases and medications taken by the patients to treat these conditions (immune-modulators and immnune-suppressant drugs) and the prevalence and healing of apical periodontitis, one of the most frequent oral disease in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Throughout my PhD, I received support and guidance from Professor Francesco Mannocci and Professor Elisabetta Cotti, to whom I owe my heartfelt gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">During this time, I had the pleasure of presenting my project several times at international conferences, where I met many researchers who showed great interest in my work, and I received an award for the best clinical research from the Journal of Endodontics in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Pursuing this\u00a0 PhD gave me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and to work with patients who needed care with greater understanding and scientific awareness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Now that I have completed my PhD, I am working as an adjunct professor at the University of Cagliari, and I sincerely hope to maintain a strong connection with King\u2019s College.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Studying there has been one of the most enriching and inspiring experiences of my life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Find out more about Francesca&#8217;s research on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/scientific-contributions\/Francesca-Ideo-2069786786\">ResearchGate<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hannah Scott, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery &amp; Palliative Care<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_1297\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-19.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1297\" class=\"wp-image-1297 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-19-e1762520941609-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Hannah Scott\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-19-e1762520941609-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Untitled-design-19-e1762520941609.jpg 588w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1297\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hannah Scott<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"ewa-rteLine\"><em><strong>&#8220;Developing an implementation plan with theoretically-informed <\/strong><\/em><em><strong>strategies for integration of the Children\u2019s Palliative care Outcome Scale <\/strong><\/em><em><strong>into routine paediatric palliative care.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am delighted to have received an Outstanding Thesis Prize. I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Richard Harding, Dr Claire Ellis-Smith, and Dr Debbie Braybrook for their support throughout the process, my examiners, Professor Ulrika Kreicbergs and Professor Bernie Carter for nominating me for this award, and to the NHIR ARC South London for funding my PhD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I started working on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/research\/c-pos\">Children\u2019s Palliative care Outcome Scale (C-POS) study<\/a><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0as a research assistant in 2020 as my first full-time research job after having completed an MSc in Social Policy and Social Research (University College London) and BA(Hons) Children, Young People, and Families (York St John University). I knew at this point I wanted to pursue a career in research and at some point, do a PhD. Within my first year, Professor Richard Harding identified an NIHR ARC South London studentship and encouraged me to apply to undertake a PhD as part of the wider study.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For my PhD, I developed an implementation plan that will be able to support the integration of C-POS into routine hospital-based care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. I was also able to apply for a Seedcorn grant from the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery, and Palliative Care <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/0UMJdSAzz9U?si=AYPdUpm6nXp_zlMJ\">to develop short videos for parents<\/a> <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/wNeOWqFkz-Q?si=I9LaqRhvOWQzBC6\">professionals<\/a> <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to communicate the anticipated benefits of the tool and further support future implementation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I also had the opportunity to present my work at several international conferences, including the European Association for Palliative Care 12th World Congress, where my poster on \u2018Challenges and incentives for integrating person-centred outcome measures into routine paediatric palliative care: health, social care, and commissioner perspectives\u2019 won an award for one of five best posters in category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Since completing my PhD, I have been working as a research associate, at Queen Mary University of London, on studies focused on the impact of science communication events for families affected by multiple sclerosis and understanding what matters most to children with dystonia and their families.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Find out more Hannah&#8217;s research via <a href=\"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1243-3500\">ORCiD<\/a>, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/hannahscottphd\/\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/hannahmayscott.bsky.social\">BlueSky<\/a> and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HannahM_Scott20\">Twitter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><b>Joanne McDermid, <\/b><\/span>Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &amp; Neuroscience<\/h4>\n<p><em><strong>&#8220;Randomised Controlled Trial of the iWHELD Programme: A Novel Digital Non-Pharmacological Intervention to Improve Quality of Life in People Living with Dementia in Care Homes.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1291\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1291\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1291\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid-300x300.png\" alt=\"Joanne McDermid\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid-676x676.png 676w, https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/files\/2025\/11\/Joanne_McDermid.png 901w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1291\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joanne McDermid<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I\u2019m so happy and honoured to have received the King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize. Completing my PhD part-time at King\u2019s College London was an incredible journey, and I\u2019m thrilled to have my work recognised in this way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My research focused on developing and evaluating a novel digital training programme to improve quality of life for people living with dementia in care homes. This included leading two randomised controlled trials, one involving over 600 participants and delivered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme demonstrated significant impact in enhancing wellbeing and reducing the use of psychotropic medication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The research resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications, including in a leading dementia journal, and was recommended for national implementation in an Alzheimer\u2019s Society report to government. I also secured postdoctoral funding to support further real-world evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Alongside my academic journey, I navigated two periods of maternity leave, including a twin pregnancy, and have been raising my three little girls alongside completing the PhD. It was a demanding but deeply rewarding experience that taught me a great deal about resilience, staying focussed on my purpose, and holding onto a long-term vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Since completing my doctorate, I\u2019ve continued in applied dementia research, with a growing focus on real world implementation and closing the gap between evidence-based research and everyday practice. I\u2019m particularly interested in how we create digital, human-centred tools that are genuinely built for real life and real challenges, and exploring how emerging technologies, such as AI, can enhance care and deliver meaningful support at scale, without losing what matters most: human connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content entry-content\">\n<h4><strong>About the prize<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The prizes are nominated by the external examiners and are judged by a panel consisting of the College\u2019s Director of Research Talent and the Chair of the Research Degrees Examinations Board. There are two rounds, in January and June, and these are the winners from the second round.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>King\u2019s Outstanding Thesis Prize Winners 2025 Each year the King\u2019s Doctoral College gives out a limited number of awards to celebrate truly outstanding research and theses completed by King\u2019s doctoral students. The King&#8217;s Outstanding Thesis Prize Winners receive their awards at their graduation ceremony and also receive a \u00a3250 prize. The Winners of the Second [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1284"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1306,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1284\/revisions\/1306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/doctoralstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}