Professor Irving Gottesman (1930 – 2016) was world-renowned as one of the pioneers of modern psychiatric genetics. He worked closely with James Shields at the IoPPN in 1962, developing liability threshold models to analyse data on schizophrenia from the Maudsley Twin Register. He sponsored the Gottesman-Shields Prize at the IoPPN, which continues to run thanks to his generous donation. The prize is awarded annually to the PhD student in the SGDP who completed their studies to an outstanding level. The winner is also invited to give the Gottesman-Shields Prize lecture.

This year, the awards were presented at the first SGDP Alumni Network Event on Thursday 20 April 2023, which celebrated the successes of their current and alumni PhD students. Speakers included Professor Cathryn Lewis, Head of Department at the SGDP, Professor Peter McGuffin, Emeritus professor and previously MRC SGDP Centre Director, Professor Robert Plomin, Professor in Behavioural Genetics and previously MRC SGDP Centre Director, Dr Chloe Wong, Chair of the SGDP PhD Sub-Committee, as well as 13 SGDP alumni.

The SGDP is an interdisciplinary research centre that focuses on how genetics (‘nature’) and the environment (‘nurture’) interact to affect psychiatric disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions and individual differences across development. Scientists at the SGDP lead some of the UK’s foremost longitudinal cohort and twin studies, including TEDS, eRISK, Dunedin and GLAD. The SGDP hosts more than 50 PhD students, and their alumni have gone on to be outstanding scientists and clinicians at leading institutions internationally. SGDP Centre alumni can join the network here.

Photos are taken by Nathan Clarke Photography.

For more information, please contact Amelia Remmington (Communications & Engagement Officer).