Dr Davidson Ateh, a researcher at Queen Mary, University of London was awarded a Royal Society of Edinburgh/BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship from Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop MSP and the President of the RSE, Sir Michael Atiyah, OM, PPRS, at a special awards ceremony on Friday 26 September in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle.

The Enterprise Fellowship programme, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and delivered by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, is designed to recognise the importance of developing individuals’ business skills to become the driving force behind that business. The latest funding is part of the RSE’s successful Research Awards scheme which supports exceptionally talented academics and potential entrepreneurs. The highly competitive awards enable people with good ideas, across a spectrum of disciplines to research and develop their work for the good of the UK and beyond.

The organisations and trusts which fund the RSE to administer these awards include: BBSRC, BP, Caledonian Research Foundation, Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, the Science & Technology Facilities Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government.

RSE President, Sir Michael Atiyah, OM said: “Our Research Awards recognise, celebrate and promote excellence. They support some of the most outstanding young scientists and innovators today. The benefits of their research are far-reaching.”

Dr Ateh said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive this award that will enable us to build on the commercial potential of an investigational drug delivery technology. Through recent work at Prof Joanne Martin’s QMUL lab under proof-of-concept grants awarded by the Heptagon and BBSRC Follow-on-Fund we have demonstrated the significant potential to better target pharmaceutical drugs. I mostly look forward to the business training element provided by the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, access to mentors and networks as I take this big leap in setting up and leading a business that will forward the development of this innovative technology.”