Dr Elizabeth Rosser Wins Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine Research Prize

Dr Rosser's research focuses on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood disease of the joints, with a UK prevalence of 1 in 1000. For unknown reasons, some JIA patients develop uveitis, an inflammatory disorder of the eye, which can lead to life-long loss of sight. Lizzy’s group is investigating how different B cell populations contribute to joint, and now through the Lister Prize, eye damage in JIA. Understanding the contribution of B cells to uveitis pathology could lead to the development of novel B-cell targeted therapeutic strategies that prevent visual impairment in these children.

The awards are aimed at researchers in the early years of running their own groups, for whom receipt of the prize would make a significant difference to their research work. The Institute’s approach to funding continues to be unique in that it accepts applications from tenured and non-tenured researchers, clinicians and non-clinicians, working broadly in the field of biomedical science and preventive medicine. It has no priority diseases or restrictions on the research area supported. This approach ensures that research prize holders are given the freedom to develop their research careers individually, while also fostering a sense of identity within the Lister community.

The 2025 round will open in July 2024.

“Winning the Lister Prize will have a transformative impact on my new groups research portfolio. By supporting a whole new workstream in ocular immunology, we will be in a unique position to understand the ‘whole picture’ of JIA pathology – a devastating disease of childhood in which we are passionately pursuing new strategies to improve outcomes. Dr Elizabeth Rosser

• Profile page for Dr Lizzy Rosser
• The Lister Prize Winners 2024