Dr Chris Moxon stood at a podium speaking to a crowd

Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Senior Lecturer in Parasitology Dr Christopher Moxon has been awarded a prestigious Future Leaders Fellowship from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Awarded to 97 of the UK’s most promising science and research leaders who will be backed with £113 million in funding to support their work, Dr Moxon was one of three University of Glasgow recipients.

Dr Emily Draper, of the School of Chemistry, and Dr Bernhard Reinsberg, of the School of Social and Political Sciences, were also recognised by UKRI.

Future Leaders Fellowships support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.

They also allow universities and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations, including from overseas. 

Awardees will each receive between £400,000 and £1.5 million over an initial four years to support challenging and novel projects, and the development of the fellow’s career.

The funding can also used to support team members, their development, and pay for equipment and other needs.

Dr Moxon focuses his research on cerebral malaria pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions in malaria using multi-model technologies. In particular, he is interested in brain swelling in cerebral malaria with view to identifying treatment targets. 

He said: “I’m delighted to have been chosen to join the Future Leaders Fellowship programme. This is a great honour, and reflects a team effort that includes colleagues from UofG, in Malawi and other international collaborators. 
 
“By recognising the importance of using cutting-edge technology to address one of the world’s most devastating diseases – in this case, malaria – this funding will allow me to follow a vision, building on strong foundations from years of cerebral malaria research in Malawi.

"This fellowship will give me, my team and collaborators the opportunity to advance our understanding of how malaria affects the brain – ultimately to inform new treatment options that can reduce death and disability in children with cerebral malaria.”

UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: “As home to the innovators who demonstrated the first working television and telephone, Scotland has a unique history in technological innovation.

"Backed with £13m of UK Government funding, these pioneering projects in Scotland, whether that’s making smart devices sustainable or supporting the fishing industry to combat climate change, will continue that proud tradition. 

“We are putting science and innovation at the heart of our efforts to build back better from COVID-19, empowering our scientific leaders of tomorrow to drive forward game-changing research and helping to secure the UK’s status as a global science superpower.” 

UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said: “I am delighted that UKRI is able to support the next generation of research and innovation leaders through our Future Leaders Fellowship programme.
 
“The new Fellows announced today will have the support and freedom they need to pursue their research and innovation ideas, delivering new knowledge and understanding and tackling some of the greatest challenges of our time.”
 


First published: 10 September 2021