Two medical oncology-led teams have been recognised at the Royal College of Physicians Excellence in Patient Care Awards 2026, one of the UK’s most prestigious celebrations of clinical excellence, research and innovation.
Open to physicians from every medical specialty, and to teams across the world, the annual Royal College of Physicians awards recognise outstanding achievements that improve patient care across research, education, digital transformation, service improvement and patient safety. This year’s recognition of two oncology-led teams highlights the leading role that UK medical oncologists continue to play in advancing research, innovation and the delivery of high-quality cancer care.
In the Research Award, Dr Lennard Lee, Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford and Director of the UK Cancer Vaccine AI Scientist & Supercomputing Project, led research selected among the top three investigator-led research projects in the United Kingdom.
The award recognises investigator-led research that advances medical knowledge and delivers, or demonstrates strong potential to deliver, improved health outcomes for patients.
Dr Lee received the award for leading the UK Cancer Vaccine Advance, a nationally coordinated programme bringing together the NHS, universities, government and industry to accelerate the development of personalised cancer vaccines. The programme is expanding access to cancer vaccine clinical trials while simultaneously developing the next generation of AI-enabled cancer vaccines using the UK’s sovereign AI Research Resource supercomputers, including ISAMBARD-AI and DAWN. The work is supported by ARIA, UK Research and Innovation, the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK.
Alongside his clinical and academic appointments, Dr Lee serves as a National Clinical Advisor to the UK Government and is a member of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s National College of Experts, helping shape the future application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across UK healthcare.
In the Virginia Mason Award for Patient Safety Dr Joanita Ocen, Dr Ricky Fraser and colleagues from Velindre Cancer Centre were recognised for the South East Wales Immunotherapy Toxicity Service, an innovative multidisciplinary service that has strengthened the safe delivery of immunotherapy through earlier recognition and management of immune-related toxicities. Their work represents an outstanding example of medical oncologists leading improvements in patient safety and quality of care.
Commenting on the awards, Dr Lennard Lee said: “Cancer care specialists in the UK have always translated scientific discovery into better treatments for patients.
“We are now entering another exciting era where artificial intelligence, genomics, robotics and advanced therapeutics are rapidly becoming part of routine oncology practice.
“It was an honour to receive this award which will accelerate our to lead the development, evaluation and adoption of these AI technologies into clinical trials, ensuring innovations reach patients safely and efficiently.”
He added: “I am incredibly grateful to the patients who volunteer to participate in clinical trials. Every advance in cancer treatment begins with their generosity, trust and commitment to helping future patients. They are the true pioneers of cancer research.
“It is also wonderful to see colleagues recognised for improving patient safety through innovative immunotherapy services. Together, these awards demonstrate the breadth, strength and ambition of UK cancer care.”
The Royal College of Physicians Excellence in Patient Care Awards celebrate outstanding achievements from across the whole of medicine. That two oncology-led teams were recognised in 2026 from teams across the world reflects the increasingly important contribution of medical oncologists in leading clinical trials, pioneering immunotherapy, advancing artificial intelligence and precision medicine, and translating scientific discovery into better outcomes for people living with cancer.
As cancer treatment continues to evolve, UK medical oncologists remain at the forefront of developing and evaluating the next generation of therapies, ensuring innovations are rigorously tested and safely adopted for patients through world-leading clinical research.
Pictured: Dr Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians, with award recipients Dr Lennard Lee, Jedrzej Jaworski, Michael Bryan, and Dr Thomas Starkey.
