The 2026 Eve McCarthy Award was awarded to Prof. Edward Wild and Prof. Sarah Tabrizi on the 9th of April in the Moore Auditorium. The award was presented in recognition of Professors Wild and Tabrizi’s work on gene therapy to slow the progression of Huntington’s Disease.
The 2026 Eve McCarthy Award was awarded to Prof. Edward Wild and Prof. Sarah Tabrizi on the 9th of April in the Moore Auditorium. The award was presented in recognition of Professors Wild and Tabrizi’s work on gene therapy to slow the progression of Huntington’s Disease.
The award is named in memory of Eve McCarthy, a UCD student and member of UCD Biological Society who tragically lost her life in January 2025. This is the second annual Eve McCarthy award presented by UCD BioSoc.
Vice Auditor June Polgolla and Auditor Matthew Collins Kearns opened the awards ceremony by remembering Eve McCarthy. Polgolla described the award as “recognising the revolutionary work of scientists that is deeply influential in inspiring the next generation.”
Polgolla continued, “Formerly known as the George Sigerson Award, it was renamed in January 2025 in memory of our dear friend and committee member, Eve McCarthy, who embodied kindness, curiosity, selflessness, and a passion for making science more welcoming and human. She was a shining light to all who knew her. Her passing last year was a profound loss, and through this award, we hope to carry her spirit forward.”
Professors Wild and Tarizi led a team of scientists at University College London who were involved in a groundbreaking gene therapy trial demonstrating that AMT-130 may slow the progression of Huntington’s disease by approximately 75% over three years, in comparison to untreated cases. This marks a breakthrough for a condition which previously had no disease-modifying treatment.
At the ceremony, Professor Wild spoke about Huntington’s research and the journey it has followed. He expressed his gratitude at receiving the award, accepting it on behalf of himself and Professor Tabrizi in absentia.