(Average reading time – 2 mins)
This year, two members of the Euan MacDonald Centre and the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Edinburgh received awards for their contributions to research and public engagement: Marcus Keatinge, recipient of a 3Rs Prize, and Jade Lucas, recipient of an Engagement Prize.
Marcus Keatinge receives 3Rs Prize
Marcus Keatinge, a postdoctoral research fellow at the UK DRI at Edinburgh, and member of the Euan MacDonald Centre was recognised with a 3Rs Prize for his work to improve animal welfare in scientific research.
The 3Rs – Replacement, Reduction and Refinement – are internationally recognised principles aimed at replacing animals in research wherever possible, reducing the number of animals used, and refining procedures to minimise suffering and improve welfare.
Reflecting on the award, Marcus said:
My colleagues and I have developed a new approach called 'Marked Mutants', which allows researchers to identify genetically modified zebrafish simply by looking at fluorescent markers, rather than relying on invasive tissue sampling and DNA testing. This makes it possible to identify the fish needed for experiments much earlier, helping to reduce animal use, minimise unnecessary procedures, and improve animal welfare.
I'm really pleased that this work has been recognised with a 3Rs Prize, as it highlights how developing better scientific methods can also make research more humane. Going forward, I hope this approach will be adopted more widely by other laboratories, helping to improve both research efficiency and animal welfare.
Bhuvaneish T Selvaraj, Principal Investigator, Chandran/Selvaraj Lab said:
In my view, Marcus’s work exemplifies what a 3Rs innovation should achieve: it is scientifically enabling, simple, scalable and readily transferable, while simultaneously reducing animal use and refining experimental procedures. It has the potential to change routine practice in zebrafish genetics, replacing invasive genotyping with a rapid visual approach while enabling more ambitious and efficient experimental designs.
The research is available as a preprint on bioRxiv: Read the 'Marked Mutants' research.
Please be aware that this work has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Jade Lucas receives Engagement Prize
PhD student Jade Lucas received an Engagement Prize in recognition of her wide-ranging commitment to public engagement and involving people in research.
Her work spans school outreach, community science clubs, patient engagement, and is a current UK Parliamentary Fellow. Jade has contributed to public engagement activities with both the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic and the Euan MacDonald Centre.
At the Anne Rowling Clinic, her work has included developing a video to help communicate complex scientific concepts in an accessible and engaging way.
Through the Euan MacDonald Centre, she has supported a range of public engagement initiatives, helping to raise awareness of motor neuron disease, share research developments and create opportunities for people affected by MND and the wider community to engage with researchers.
These awards recognise the varied contributions of Euan MacDonald Centre and UK DRI at the University of Edinburgh researchers; from improving animal welfare in research to engaging patients and the public with science.
Connectome, the UK DRI’s annual flagship scientific conference, was held in Liverpool from 2–4 November 2026. The conference brought together leading neuroscientists, geneticists and clinicians from across the UK and beyond. They shared the latest advances in research into neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease (MND/ALS) and Huntington’s disease.
Congratulations to Marcus and Jade as well as all the other award winners on their achievements at UK DRI Connectome 2026.
Relevant links
Find out more about the Euan MacDonald Centre: About us
Explore our research: Research at the Euan MacDonald Centre: Our Research
Support MND research at the Euan MacDonald Centre: Support us
UK Dementia Research Institute – Connectome recognition prizes announcement (external website)