AN Alexandria PhD student has picked up a prestigious Scotland-wide award honouring her for being the most outstanding student - and has vowed she wants to use her cancer-busting skills for the good of the community.

University of Strathclyde chemistry student Lauren Evans won the Robertson Medal from the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, an annual award presented by the Trust to the one student that goes above and beyond everyone else throughout the country on their PhD scholarship programme.

Lauren was chosen from 12 students awarded scholarships from an original list of 62 applicants.

Her research focuses on developing treatments for pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth largest cause of cancer death in the world and for which current therapies are effective on fewer than a quarter of patients.

A self-confessed chemist at heart, the local award-winner, who also was the winner of the Salters Graduate Award for Chemistry in 2020, wants to use her skills for the benefit of others, no matter where she goes.

Lauren said: “It’s fantastic to receive this recognition of my work in research to improve lives of pancreatic cancer patients.

“This research is urgently needed. It’s about developing tiny particles to carry drug molecules directly into cancerous cells.

“The problem with chemotherapy is that it often contacts good cells, with serious side effects, and I want to develop more effective treatments.

“I’m considering different possible options for my career. I’m a chemist at heart but there have been biological aspects to my studies.

“I enjoy being in a multidisciplinary environment and overseeing various stages of the drug development timeline, from drug discovery to clinical trials, is ultimately where I want to end up.

“Whatever I do, I want to have a positive impact and be in a position where I can help patients and their families to live better lives.”

Lauren gained a first-class MChem degree in forensic and analytical chemistry from Strathclyde in 2020 and took a placement with pharmaceutical company GSK during her degree course.

Her award was announced in an online ceremony led by the trust’s chair, Professor Dame Anne Glover, on Wednesday, January 20.

Professor Andy Walker, secretary and treasurer (CEO) of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, said: “The Trust is delighted to be awarding this Medal to Lauren Evans.

“Her nomination clearly demonstrated how she has been an outstanding student.

“She is now embarking on an exciting research career, with a project that could lead to major advances on the treatment of pancreatic cancer and cancers more widely.

“We congratulate her and wish her every success.

“We shall be following her progress as one of our Carnegie Scholars with great interest.”