Dr Tongchuan Wang and Dr Thomas Thompson have both received prestigious awards from the Postdoctoral Development Centre (PDC) at Queen’s, which recognise exceptional contributions by postdoctoral researchers across the University. The awards, announced as part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, highlight the vital role postdocs play in advancing research and supporting the academic community.
 
Dr Wang received the Research Award for his exceptional achievements in his first year as an early-stage postdoctoral researcher. His groundbreaking work on metabolic radiosensitisation in head-and-neck cancer resulted in a first-author publication in a high-impact journal with an impact factor of 8.7. Building on this success, he has established new external collaborations explore therapeutic translation opportunities.
 
Dr Wang's entrepreneurial spirit has been equally impressive. He independently conceptualised and disclosed two biomedical innovations: LabVA, an augmented reality and artificial intelligence-powered interactive laboratory assistant, and a laboratory consumable product. Both innovations have had their intellectual property assigned to Queen's, with commercial exploitation under development. His completion of the iCURe Discover programme received highly positive feedback, and he continues working with Queen's Research & Enterprise Team to develop these opportunities further.

Dr Tongchuan Wang was the recipient of the Research Award within the 2025 QUB Postdoc Awards. 

His research efforts have also supported significant grant applications, including a £350,000 Prostate Cancer UK Career Acceleration Fellowship and a £36,000 MRC IAA ECFT grant. Additionally, Dr Wang has actively engaged with the Northern Ireland Cancer Research Consumer Forum, incorporating valuable patient and public involvement insights into his research.
 
Speaking of his award, Dr Wang noted:

"I’m delighted and humbled to receive this recognition from Queen’s University Belfast. It’s a real privilege to work in such an inspiring research environment that values innovation and teamwork. A particular joy has been working in a culturally diverse lab group, led by Prof. Coulter, where we are encouraged to take the most of every opportunity to further our personal development. I’m excited to continue pursuing innovative and translational cancer research at Queen’s and to explore more opportunities for impact and collaboration."

Dr Thompson was honoured with the Support Award, recognising his exceptional contributions to student development and laboratory management across the faculty.

Dr Thompson has trained 36 researchers (18 undergraduates, 12 MSc, 6 PhD) and co-supervised multiple projects, including a US–Ireland R&D Partnership award Cold Plasma to Treat Post-Surgical Orthopedic Infection (£579,985). Dr Thompson provides comprehensive support in experimental design, data analysis, and publication processes across plasma medicine, antimicrobial resistance, and microbiome science. This mentorship has delivered successful conference presentations, three award-winning dissertations, and four independent for Summer Studentships grants for the school.

Dr Thomas Thompson was the recipient of the Support Award within the 2025 QUB Postdoc Awards. 
 
As Postdoctoral Representative, he delivered three School-wide research events in 2024–25 and secured postdoc representation at School-Staff Committee, strengthening research culture and peer support. He also contributes to safety governance on the School Safety Committee, and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Beyond support, Dr Thompson’s recent research outputs span antimicrobial resistance and plasma applications, including first-/corresponding-author articles in Advanced Therapeutics (2025) and Biofilm (2025), a joint publication with University of Limerick in Journal of Hospital Infection (2025), and co-authorship on archaeal efflux mechanisms in npj Antimicrobials and Resistance (2024). He is a winner of AMI’s John Snow Award (2023), serves as a Junior Editor for Letters in Applied Microbiology.
 
Commenting on his award, Dr Thompson added:

“A supportive network is the foundation of a strong research community. And a strong research community is how we build toward excellent, ambitious science.”

Following these awards, Professor Gavin Andrews, Head of the School of Pharmacy at Queen's, remarked:

"These awards perfectly demonstrate the exceptional calibre of postdoctoral researchers within our School. Both Dr Wang and Dr Thompson exemplify the innovation, dedication, and collaborative spirit that drives our research forward. Their achievements in advancing scientific knowledge whilst nurturing the next generation of researchers reflect the very best of our academic community."

The PDC Postdoc Awards recognise excellence across research, citizenship and outreach, and support categories, with winners selected by panels including Faculty Deans of Research and PDC officers. Both researchers were nominated by multiple colleagues, highlighting the significant impact of their contributions to the School and wider University community.
 
More information about these awards is available via their website.

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