Frank Sullivan Award
The Frank Sullivan Award is made in recognition of an outstanding contribution to toxicology by an early-stage toxicologist of the BTS. The successful awardee will be an invited guest at the BTS Annual Congress, where they will receive their award and deliver the Frank Sullivan Award lecture.
An early career toxicologist whose work has a clear impact in toxicology.
Biennially in odd numbered years
- Invitation to deliver the Sullivan Award Lecture at the annual congress
- Commemorative certificate
- Registration, accommodation, and travel for the Annual Congress in line with BTS Travel Policy
- The nominee will typically be within the first 10 years of their career at the time of the BTS Annual Congress.
- The nominee will have been a BTS member for a minimum of 2 years prior to the nomination closure date
- Open to all members meeting the above criteria, independent of age or place of employment
The nominator should send the following information to the BTS Secretariat:
- Full CV of the candidate
- Description (of no more than 1000 words) of the candidate’s achievements to date.
- Brief summary of the reason for the nomination (no more than 250 words), including how the individual fulfils the eligibility for the award.
Applications will be judged on the success and impact of their toxicology-focused studies, quality and translation of their work to the wider toxicology field, and contribution to the work of the BTS.
- Nominations should be submitted in response to a call to the Membership in the year preceding the relevant Annual Congress.
- Nominations for the award can be made by any member of the BTS, including the self nomination.
- Nominations will be reviewed by the Scientific Sub-Committee (SSC), which makes recommendations for ratification by the Executive Committee.
- The successful awardee will be notified by the Chair of the Scientific Sub-Committee by the end of February preceding the Annual Congress.
About Frank Sullivan (1931-2021)
UK Teratology Information Service, Guy’s Hospital Medical School
Frank Sullivan was an internationally renowned expert in teratology and reproductive toxicology. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with an honour’s degree in pharmacology in 1955 he joined Guy’s Hospital Medical School (now Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust) in London, where he remained for his 40-year academic career. Frank’s career and research was influenced by the thalidomide tragedy in the 1960s, fuelling his research interests in studying the influence of chemicals on pregnancy and development. This led to him being a key player in contributing to the UK medicine development guidelines of a requirement for postnatal screening of new drugs for auditory, visual and behavioural changes. During his career he served on several UK Government Committees as a reproductive toxicity expert covering pesticides, food, and consumer products, was an advisor to the WHO and UK Specialised Expert in Reproductive Toxicology to the EU. Frank was an avid supporter and long-standing member of the BTS, being a past member of the BTS Executive Committee and Honorary Fellow of the Society, with his impact upon toxicology further recognised by his award of the Paton Prize in 2010. Frank was passionate about supporting the next generation of toxicologists and was a great mentor. This passion for support and development of toxicologists was evident throughout his career. This award is an appropriate tribute to the dedication of Frank to advancement of toxicology and his life-long commitment to the discipline and education of the discipline.
Read more about his life and contribution here (Reproductive Toxicology 2021, 105, 234).
2001 Dr E Martin
2002 Dr C Smith Pease
2003 Dr D Naisbit
2004 Dr N Plant
2005 Dr J Moggs
2006 Dr D Williams
2008 Dr D Smart
2009 Dr J Dorne
2010 Dr M Coen
2011 Dr Karen Swales
2013 Award rescinded
2016 Dr Toby Athersuch
2017 Dr Amy Chadwick
2018 Dr Ian Copple
2020 Dr James Thaventhiran
2023 Dr Liza Emirali
