The annual EHA award honours “those whose outstanding contributions to hematology education deserve acknowledgment and acclaim”. Prof Roberts was announced as the winner of this year’s award, in conjunction with Shaun McCann, at the European Haematological Society Congress, which took place in Amsterdam between the 13th and the 16th of June.
Prof Anindita Roy, Associate Professor of Paediatric Haematology, said about the award “Irene has been an incredible mentor and role model to me and I have been very lucky to have her unfailing support and guidance throughout my research career. Her selfless dedication to training and nurturing the next generation of clinician scientists is truly inspirational, and I am so pleased that she has been awarded the European Haematology Association's Education and Mentoring award. It is hugely deserved and I can think of no better recipient."
Irene Roberts has been Professor of Paediatric Haematology in the Department of Paediatrics since October 2013. She was previously Professor of Paediatric Haematology at Imperial College London. She is also a Group Leader at the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit. She has a longstanding interest in the impact of trisomy 21 on haematopoiesis and her group studies how the biological and molecular properties of fetal stem and progenitor cells provide the permissive cellular context for leukaemia in early childhood.