The Plowright Prize
The biennial Plowright Prize recognises an individual who has made a key contribution to the field of infectious diseases in animals.
Prize background
Walter Plowright was widely regarded as one of the world’s most eminent veterinary virologists and authorities on rinderpest, whose development of a tissue culture vaccine represented a key milestone in efforts to control the disease – one of only two infectious diseases that have been fully eradicated.
The prize recognises an individual whose work has had a significant impact on the control, management and eradication of infectious diseases of animals. Their contribution will demonstrate animal, humanitarian or economic benefit.
The prize is open to any veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse or research scientist working in Europe or the Commonwealth. The nominee may be working in practice, academia, a research institute/organisation, industry, government or another relevant sector. Institutions and/or organisations are not eligible to receive the prize.
2024 winner: Professor Fiona Tomley
Professor Fiona Tomley CBE, PhD, DVM (Honorary), a specialist in microbiology and poultry health, was awarded the 2024 Plowright Prize for her work reducing infectious diseases in poultry.
Internationally renowned for her work on Eimeria species that cause coccidiosis in chickens, Fiona has also made substantial contributions to the understanding and control of viral and parasitic pathogens of poultry.
Over her 40-year career, she has conducted research into basic science discovery, technological advances, industrial collaboration, international research leadership, and knowledge exchange.
During her role as Director of the UKRI GCRF One Health Poultry Hub, Fiona has worked to achieve sustainable intensification of chicken meat and egg production through cross-sector collaboration.
She will invest the £100,000 prize fund into establishing a global mentoring network for veterinary infectious disease researchers with a focus on ‘One Health’ - the integrated approach to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
Speaking of these plans, Fiona said: “Researchers at the beginning of their careers are under extreme amounts of pressure, particularly when they move into leadership roles. This is especially tough for women, those in resource-poor settings, or those without access to support. I hope to help the next generation of researchers by providing mentorship opportunities to those in the UK and in low-and-middle income countries where many pathogens that pose a threat to animal and public health are endemic.”
The Plowright Prize 2026
Nominations for the 2026 Plowright Prize will open in autumn 2025.
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“It is a huge honour to receive the Plowright Prize and I am delighted that my work, and that of my colleagues and collaborators, has been recognised by the judging panel. Taking a One Health approach is a team effort, requiring researchers to communicate across disciplines, translate basic science to useful outcomes, advocate for science at its interface with policy, and collaborate with researchers from different geographical settings. As we enter the final phase of the One Health Poultry Hub, I’d particularly like to thank everyone who has participated, including the 55 investigators and 100 researchers from 27 institutions – many of them in South Asia – working as part of the Hub.”
Professor Fiona Tomley, 2024 Plowright Prize winner
Previous Winners
Dr Herman Barkema, 2022 Plowright Prize winner: Professor in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases from the University of Calgary, Herman was awarded the Plowright Prize for his research on Mastitis, Johne’s disease and antimicrobial resistance. The £75,000 prize money boosted the ongoing Cattle Health Surveillance System (CHeSS) project, which focuses on monitoring and controlling major infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance in dairy cattle in Western Canada.
“I was honoured to receive this prestigious award. It is not only recognition for myself, but for all of the dedicated people I work with. I am fortunate to work with a large interdisciplinary and collaborative research team. Thank you very much to RCVS Knowledge for this award.”
Dr Herman Barkema, 2022 Plowright Prize winner
Professor William Ivan Morrison, 2020 Plowright Prize winner: University of Edinburgh professor, William Ivan Morrison, was the first recipient of the Plowright Prize for his work modifying the phenotype of T. parva-infected cells to render them capable of fusion to other bovine cells. He used the prize fund to continue this research which aims to create a cost-effective vaccine for the cattle disease East Coast Fever.
Enquiries
Please direct all enquiries regarding the prize to: [email protected] or by phone: +44 (0) 20 7202 0721