Prof Sir Steve Jackson receives the 2026 Galen Medal in Therapeutics

Senior Group Leader Professor Sir Steve Jackson has received the Society of Apothecaries Galen Medal for 2026.

This award comes in recognition of his transformational work on the mechanisms of DNA repair, cell survival and the DNA-damage response (DDR), as well as for the development of the cancer-targeting drug Olaparib.

By understanding DDR components and pathways, researchers like those working in the CI’s Jackson Group work to understand how DNA is damaged by environmental factors and the body’s internal processes. In doing so, they hope to find new ways to translate this knowledge to better understand and treat human diseases, for example the PARP-inhibitor drug Olaparib which is now used in the treatment of a range of cancer types including breast, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic.

The Galen Medal in Therapeutics is presented every year and is the most prestigious honour bestowed by the Society. It is awarded to recognise vital contributions in the broader field of therapeutics with previous recipients receiving the award for work in the fields of clinical medicine and public health, as well as the underlying science behind new treatments.