Professor KJ Patel is Director of the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine and MRC Molecular Haematology Unit in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine. Since 2023, he has also served as Chief Scientist for Cancer Research UK.

The Buchanan Medal is awarded annually by the Royal Society. The award was created from a fund in memory of the physician George Buchanan FRS, former Chief Medical Officer of the UK, and was first awarded in 1897. Professor Patel has won the 2026 Buchanan Medal “for the discovery that two simple aldehydes (acetaldehyde and formaldehyde) are major sources of endogenous DNA damage, and that a fundamental two-tier protection system prevents these reactive metabolites from disrupting essential physiological processes.”

Professor Patel’s research has revealed how aldehydes, simple chemicals produced naturally within our bodies and when we consume alcohol, can damage our DNA - the blueprint of life. His work discovered the mechanism that protects our genomes from this threat, and showed that when this mechanism fails, the consequences are profound: blood production ceases, tissues age prematurely and the risk of cancer is greatly increased.

Speaking about the award, Prof Patel said:

I am deeply honoured to receive the Buchanan Medal from the Royal Society, particularly given that past winners of this prestigious award include our founding director David Weatherall, Peter Ratcliffe and my predecessor Douglas Higgs. This award also belongs to the many exceptional students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators I have had the privilege of working with over the years. Their dedication, creativity and perseverance made these fundamental discoveries possible, and I am enormously grateful to them.

Professor Keith Channon, Head of the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, said:

Many congratulations to KJ on this richly deserved recognition. His work has transformed our understanding of how naturally occurring chemicals damage DNA and how our cells protect themselves. KJ’s research has direct implications for blood disorders, cancer and ageing, as well as many other common diseases. We are enormously proud to see his achievements recognised by the Royal Society.

 Learn more about the Oxford winners: Four Oxford academics honoured in the 2026 Royal Society Awards