MRC Human Genetics Unit
Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit

Didier Devaurs takes his research to UK Parliament

Didier, Cross-Disciplinary Research Fellow at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, attended Parliament to present his research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of STEM for BRITAIN on Monday 6th March.

Didier Devaurs standing with his poster

Didier, whose poster was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament, presented his cross-disciplinary research in quantitative biomedicine.

He highlight the importance of cross-disciplinary biomedical sciences with parliamentarians by discussing his research project on the interpretation of protein mutations.

On presenting his research in Parliament, Didier said:

My main motivations for applying to STEM for Britain were the growing importance of public engagement in science, and the personal challenge of competing in the ultimate poster competition at a national level. As a finalist, I had the chance to represent my scientific community and the responsibility of being an ambassador for our academic excellence. I also wanted to raise the profile of my research topic—predicting the impact of genetic mutations, especially in the case of rare diseases—in Parliament, so that politicians understand the importance of such research.

Dr Didier DevaursCross Disciplinary Research Fellow

Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said:

This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers. 

These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and STEM for BRITAIN is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.

Stephen Metcalfe MPChairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee

Didier’s research has been entered into the biosciences session of the competition, which concluded with a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.

Judged by leading academics, each winner received a cash prize with a medal for the gold recipient.

The UK Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society, the Nutrition Society and the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, with sponsorship from Dyson Ltd, Clay Mathematics Institute, United Kingdom Research and Innovation, Warwick Manufacturing Group, AWE, British In Vitro Diagnostics Association, the Society of Chemical Industry, Institute of Biomedical Science, the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research, and the Biochemical Society.