Royal Society Pfizer Award

The award

Since 2006, with the support of Pfizer Inc, the Royal Society has offered the Pfizer Award to recognise research scientists based in Africa who are making an innovative contribution to the biological sciences, including basic medical science, which contributes significantly to capacity building in Africa.

The Award consists of an £11,000 grant towards a research project that is linked to an African centre of scientific excellence, which would normally be a university, or equivalent research centre, a bronze medal and a gift of £1,000. The final award was given in 2016 and the Royal Society Pfizer Award was replaced with the Royal Society Africa Prize.

Pfizer Award 2016

Dr Amina Abubakar

The Pfizer Award 2016 is awarded to Dr Amina Abubakar for pioneering psychological research in East Africa and her work developing neurodevelopmental assessments which are now being used throughout Africa.

Dr Abubakar will be presented with a bronze medal and gift of £1,000 at the Royal Society Pfizer Award ceremony on 31 October 2016, which will be proceeded by an afternoon seminar.

Past winners

In 2015, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Royal Society Pfizer Award, the programme was expanded to allow two awards: an Early Career Award for a research scientist at an early stage of their career showing exceptional promise; and an Advanced Award for an experienced top-level researcher that has made a significant and sustained contribution in both research and leadership.

Dr Gordon A Awandare was awarded the Pfizer Early Career Award 2015 for his achievements in molecular and cellular studies of malaria, including how malaria parasites invade red blood cells and cause disease. 

Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum was awarded the Pfizer Advanced Award 2015 for his seminal work on viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola, generating the foundation of our understanding of the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and control of outbreaks of these viral infections. 

See full list of all past winners of the Royal Society Pfizer Award. 

This award is supported by Pfizer Inc.