About The Prize
Nominations for The Scottish Cancer Foundation 2025 Prize will open soon.
The Prize, up to £10,000, is supported by the Grant Simpson Trust. It is accompanied by the Evans Forrest Medal, named in recognition of the founders of the Scottish Cancer Foundation.
Prize Winners
2023
An Edinburgh surgeon has won a major prize for his work on the role of a simple vitamin in helping to prevent bowel cancer and improve survival in those with the disease.
The Scottish Cancer Foundation has awarded its annual £10,000 prize to consultant surgeon and research scientist Peter Vaughan-Shaw, in a competition designed to encourage and recognise the work of early career researchers across Scotland.
2022
A junior doctor in Glasgow who developed the first ever easy-to-use calculator to identify patients at high risk of head and neck cancer has won a major cancer award.
The Scottish Cancer Foundation has awarded its £10,000 annual prize to Dr Theofano Tikka for her work in developing the calculator which proved invaluable during the Covid pandemic in assessing patients remotely when they could not been seen in hospital.
2019
Dr Campbell stood out to the Board of Directors due to her contribution to cancer screening, leading a series of research studies which have improved the understanding and effectiveness of screening programmes both in the UK and overseas. In addition, Dr Campbell’s work has sought to understand the factors that can improve participation in screening and help to identify the disease at its earliest, treatable stage.
2018
Dr Katie Robb has won the prestigious 2018 Scottish Cancer Foundation Prize. Dr Robb is based at the University of Glasgow's Institute of Health and Wellbeing and her research focuses on improving the earlier diagnosis of cancer and reducing inequalities for cancer patients. Dr Robb plans to use the £10,000 prize money to accelerate her research to help improve access to cancer screening and reduce the burden of cancer both locally and nationally.
2017
Professor Malcolm Dunlop of the MRC Human Genetics Unit, within the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, has led research which has identified a number of genes that are implicated in the development of bowel cancer. He plans to use the £10,000 prize money to investigate new drug and nutrient approaches that may reduce the risk of bowel cancer developing.
2016
An anti-tobacco campaigner who has played a leading role in reducing the harm caused by cigarettes in Scotland has been honoured by the Scottish Cancer Foundation. Sheila Duffy, the chief executive of ASH Scotland, is this year’s recipient of Scottish Cancer Foundation prize which recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in the fight against cancer.
2015
Our inaugural prize was won by Professor Tessa Holyoake, a cancer specialist who has made Glasgow into one of the world’s leading centres for leukaemia research.
The work carried out by Professor Tessa Holyoake, Director of the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre at the University of Glasgow, is offering hope of new treatments for a condition which has already seen dramatic improvements in survival in recent years.
Press Coverage
The Herald
Scots researcher will use £10,000 prize money to help fund bowel cancer research (20/11/2017)BBC News
Award for Glasgow cancer specialist (16/11/2015)The Times
Glasgow specialist wins inaugural cancer prize (16/11/2015)The National
Professor Tessa Holyoake honoured for turning Glasgow into leading leukaemia research centre (17/11/2015)Glasgow Evening Times
Glasgow cancer doctor wins top award (17/11/2015)Submit A Nomination
The Scottish Cancer Foundation invites nominations for the 2024 Prize.