Winners of Distinguished Service Award and Alumnus of the Year announced at Dental Institute Alumni Weekend
Congratulations to Professor Tim Watson and Professor Saman Warnakulasuriya, winners of the Dental Institute Alumnus of the Year and Distinguished Service Awards. The awards were established by the Dental Alumni Association in 2006 and the winners were announced at the Annual Dental Alumni Weekend, at the Henry Schein Dental Dinner held 4 March this year.
Alumnus of the Year Award
The Alumnus of the Year Award is for a person, who qualified at one of the constituent Schools and has achieved distinction in any walk of life and who has brought credit to the profession, either directly or indirectly with particular emphasis on the last three years.
Professor Tim Watson started at the precursor to King’s College London Dental Institute (UMDS) in 1989. He currently holds the title as Professor of Biomaterials and Restorative Dentistry and has maintained a significant interest in confocal microscopy which he developed from his days with Professor Alan Boyd. Tim is European Board Member for the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), immediate past President of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research, past President of the Dental Materials Group of the IADR and is a Council member of the Royal Microscopical Society and Editor, for ‘In Focus’ the members’ publication of the RMS.
Tim is the main lead for innovation and translation within King’s College London Dental Institute, developing strategies to ensure that basic research ideas can be nurtured and carried through to deliver clinical impact for patient benefit.
He is known to many for his expert teaching in operative dentistry as well as his very affable manner. He currently leads the teaching for the DPMG students for which there can be no doubt he has significant talents.
Alumnus Distinguished Service Award
The Alumnus Distinguished Service Award is intended to honour a long-serving member of staff, who has made a significant contribution to the King's College London Dental Institute or one of its constituent Schools.
Professor Saman Warnakulasuriya served King’s College London, its associated schools and the NHS Hospitals based at King’s and Guy’s for 23+ years, before he retired in October 2015. He first joined King’s College School of Medicine and Dentistry (in 1993) which merged with UMDS and was appointed to the chair in Oral Medicine and Experimental Pathology in 2005. He is a dedicated teacher and a clinician and above all a leading researcher at the Dental Institute.
Professor Warnakulasuriya has published over 240 full research papers based on many collaborative research he conducts globally, lectured extensively at international conferences, particularly focused on oral cancer from the levels of basic science to the management.
He is also the Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer (2005-2017). As the Director of WHO CC he works on an honorary capacity as an advisor to WHO member countries on cancer control and carcinogens.
His text book on Oral Medicine and Pathology is popular among post graduates in many dental schools, and with European partners has produced an e learning website on oral cancer www.oralcancerldv.org translated to several European languages. In March this year he will co-chair the “Global Oral Cancer Forum” in New York. http://www.oasisdiscussions.ca/2016/01/14/gocf-3/
While based at King’s honours he received include being the 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award for Oral Medicine and Pathology Research (IADR) and an OBE from the Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom for services to Medicine & Health care.
Over four decades he has mentored many trainees and colleagues and is an acknowledged teacher / guest speaker at many forums. This nomination to the Alumni Distinguished Service award, is intended to honour Prof Warnakulasuriya, who has made a significant contribution to the King’s Dental Institute during his long-serving career.