April 2026: The Career Scientific Achievement Award from the British Society of Parasitology was presented to Keith, alongside Professor Andy Waters from the University of Glasgow, at the Society's annual meeting. Keith Matthews and the very personal sculpture created by Professor Dave Barry. Images © Keith Matthews. To mark the award, he received a sculpture featuring ‘slender’ and ‘stumpy' form African trypanosomes intertwined with a Gilson micropipette and Eppendorf tube, this representing his integration of parasite biology and molecular biology. The sculpture, from African soapstone, was the work of Professor Dave Barry - now retired - who creates artworks inspired by parasite biology. Professor Barry was Keith’s PhD supervisor at the University of Glasgow in the period 1986-1990. I was honoured and touched to receive this unique award that recognises the work of our laboratory and team members over many years. Dave Barry’s science continues to inspire our ongoing research, as well as that of many others, and to receive such a personal award was truly moving. Professor Keith Matthews Award recipient, School of Biologiclal Sciences Career achievement Following his PhD at the University of Glasgow, Keith carried out postdoctoral work at Yale University, US, and the University of Manchester, before moving to Edinburgh in 2004, where he has been Professor of Parasite Biology since 2007. He has spent his career researching the biology of African trypanosome protozoan parasites.These parasites have immense economic impact in sub Saharan Africa, infecting game and domestic animals (in which they cause the disease nagana) as well as humans (where they cause sleeping sickness). Parasite biology Trypanosome parasites are transmitted between mammalian hosts by tsetse flies. Keith's lab has focused on the changes that take place in the parasite as it prepares for, and adapts to, life in the tsetse fly. In the bloodstream, the parasites communicate with one another via a quorum sensing-like process to optimise transmission. In the tsetse fly, differentiation involves integrated changes in parasite metabolism, morphology, surface antigen expression and cell cycle progression. The slender bloodstream form of trypanosome parasites (L), and the tsetse fly vector (R). Images Wikimedia Commons. Disease control and treatment Using a wide variety of research approaches, Keith's lab has dissected in detail the biology of trypanosome transmission and its effects on trypanosome virulence and disease spread. The cell proliferation and development characteristic of trypanosomes is also common to other protozoan parasites of global health importance (jncluding malaria, T. cruzi, Leishmania spp. etc.) such that the work has fundamental relevance to many pathogens of humans and animals, providing new opportunities for both therapy and diagnosis. Related links Keith Matthews profileMatthews LabSchool of Biological SciencesBritish Society of Parasitology Publication date 17 Apr, 2026
