Research impact from Leeds alumn recognised with prestigious award

An alum from the Faculty of Biological Sciences, who has advanced multiple drugs into clinical trials, has been recognised by the British Council.

The Science and Sustainability award was awarded to Dr. Bing Hou, Executive Director of Drug Discovery at Antengene, on Saturday 9 December in Beijing. 

Dr. Hou started his journey at Leeds through a research scholarship from The China Scholarship Council (CSC). 

The fully funded research scholarships, which cover three years of study, aim to develop talent and strengthen international academic collaborations. 

One of the best parts of studying in a biomedical research lab in the UK is that universities and NHS organizations have extremely strong and valuable partnerships. Obtaining clinical samples for research was far more convenient than any place else in the world.

Dr. Hou
Dr. Hou receiving his award

 

Since receiving his PhD from the School of Biomedical Sciences in 2015, Dr. Hou has submitted approximately thirty patent applications in response to unmet medical needs for novel anti-cancer drugs. 

As inventor and project leader, he has published research articles in top journals, such as Nature, Science Advances and Circulation Research. 

His co-first-authored Nature article published in 2014 was cited by both the Nobel Prize recipient and the official website of the Nobel Prize.

On behalf of everyone at the Faculty of Biological Sciences, I’d like to congratulate Dr. Hou on this wonderful achievement and his efforts to improve cancer treatment. It brings us great pride to see our alumni community making such important contributions to overcoming major health problems. 

Professor Richard Callaghan, Head of School,  School of Biomedical Sciences

Professor David Beech, NIHR BRC Cardiometabolic Theme Lead in the School of Medicine, and Dr. Hou’s PhD primary supervisor added:

“Bing was a wonderful student and a pleasure to supervise. He did seminal research during his PhD so I am not surprised he has continued to make such outstanding impact. He is a star in the making.”

British Council awards

The awards aim to celebrate the outstanding achievements of business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders for their contribution to global challenges, as well as strengthening ties between the UK and China.

Now in its tenth year, the award received more than 1,450 applications from international UK alumni in more than 90 countries, representing more than 140 UK higher education institutions across the UK. 

Following in-depth interviews with a judging panel, recipients were selected for the four award categories: Science and Sustainability Award, Culture and Creativity Award, Social Action Award, and Business and Innovation Award.

China is the first country to host the awards this year and will be followed by awarding ceremonies in a further 22 countries. 

China Scholarship Council - University of Leeds Scholarships 2024

Applications for the China Scholarship Council/University of Leeds Scholarships are now open. 

The closing date for application forms is Monday 8 January 2024, 17:00 UK time. 

Information about the application process can be found online.

We look forward to accepting the next group of students and helping them to make significant contributions to future knowledge and treatments.

Professor Ian Wood, Pro Dean International, Faculty of Biological Sciences