2026 winners
Information on the seven winners of the 2026 IET postgraduate scholarship award.
IET Postgraduate Scholarship for an outstanding researcher
Gabriel Abrahams
University of Oxford
Gabriel is a DPhil candidate on the BBSRC Interdisciplinary Biosciences Doctoral Training Program, based in the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford.
The field of Engineering Biology is primed to tackle global challenges, from transitioning to green industry and agriculture to precision medicine. However, new biotechnologies are required to bring precision measurement and control to biology.
Electromagnetic fields pass through biomatter unimpeded and can be precisely controlled with electronics. Gabriel’s research aims to revolutionise how we read from and write to biological systems by developing platforms for electromagnetic manipulation, coupled with bioengineered proteins that sense and respond to magnetic fields.
The award will enable Gabriel to continue his work engineering magneto-responsive proteins, forging collaborations with physicists, biochemists and bioengineers to advance the technology, and with clinical and research biologists who would benefit from its use.
Hudswell International Research Scholarship
Latifah Almulla
University of Oxford
Latifah Almulla is a DPhil candidate in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, where she is developing next-generation bioelectronic and microfluidic implants for targeted brain drug delivery.
Her research focuses on developing a brain-implant that combines microfluidic drug delivery with integrated sensors for real-time physiological monitoring. By enabling therapies that adapt to physiological feedback, this technology has the potential to advance the treatment of neurological disorders.
The Hudswell International Research Scholarship will support the translation of her research into pre-clinical in vivo studies, accelerating technology validation and bringing it one step closer to future clinical applications.
Leslie H Paddle Scholarship
Yiming Li
University of Cambridge
Yiming Li is a PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, working at the intersection of ultrasound, microfluidics, and biomedical device engineering.
His research develops surface acoustic wave (SAW) technologies for both disease diagnosis and therapeutic delivery. He has developed acoustofluidic platforms for rapid biomarker enrichment and recently demonstrated the first portable SAW probe capable of reversibly opening the blood–brain barrier for targeted drug delivery. These technologies have the potential to improve treatment options for neurological diseases while enabling more accessible and cost-effective healthcare solutions.
The IET Postgraduate Award will help expand international collaborations and accelerate the translation of his research into real-world medical technologies.
IET Postgraduate Prize
Matthew Burgess
University of Oxford
Matthew Burgess is a DPhil candidate in the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. His research focuses on ionomeric extracellular matrix (iECM) actuators: fully resorbable biomaterials capable of delivering electrical and mechanical stimulation from the tissue down to the cellular scale, with applications in accelerated wound healing and cardiac stimulation.
Beyond the lab, Matthew’s ambition is to become a venture scientist, bridging academic proof-of-concept research to clinically deployable medical devices, spanning tissue engineering and critical care biotechnology.
This award will directly accelerate the translation of his research into medical devices and support his development as an engineer and innovator.
IET Postgraduate Prize
Lucy Hodgins
University of Southampton
Lucy Hodgins is a PhD candidate in the School of Electronics and Computer Science at University of Southampton.
Her research works to develop assistive technologies for stroke rehabilitation, in particular examining using a technology known as functional electrical stimulation to restore hand and wrist movement. Lucy’s PhD focuses on creating a learning-based system that can adapt in real-time based on patient needs, determining the location and intensity of stimulation required to achieve a desired movement.
This scholarship will allow her to attend conferences to disseminate her research, as well as participating in research collaboration and exchange visits.
IET Postgraduate Prize
Dick F Firdaus
University of Cambridge
Dick Ferieno Firdaus is a PhD candidate in the Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) group at the Institute for Manufacturing, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge.
His research focuses on developing a milli-scale soft robotic crawler for targeted drug delivery. The device is designed to navigate the epidural space via minimally invasive catheter access under infrared laser control, delivering its payload at the tumour site before safely bioresorbing, enabling a single-intervention treatment.
The IET Postgraduate Prize will support Dick’s research ambition to develop a next-generation, entirely soft machine that is self-powered and specifically developed for biomedical application.
IET Postgraduate Prize
Xufu Ren
University of Cambridge
Xufu Ren is a PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, researching high-efficiency, high-power-density DC–DC converters and magnetic technologies for AI data centres. Driven by the rapid growing energy demands of AI, his work advances power conversion through innovations in architecture, circuit topologies, and magnetic design. He developed state-of-the-art power converters from rack-level power to XPU core power, including High-Voltage Bus Converters (HVBC), Intermediate Bus Converters (IBC), and Voltage Regulator Modules (VRM).
The IET Postgraduate Prize will support his future research into sustainable power conversion solutions.