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Dr Aran Singanayagam in the Department of Infectious Disease has been named a 2026 Lister Prize fellow, securing £300,000 in funding to advance research into the lung microbiome.

The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine announced its 2026 Lister Prize Fellows, recognising eight exceptional early-career scientists whose research spans major biomedical challenges from Parkinson’s disease to human embryonic development and the lung microbiome. Each fellow will receive £300,000 in funding over five years. 

Among them is Dr Aran Singanayagam, Clinical Associate Professor in Respiratory Infection in the Department of Infectious Disease. His work focuses on understanding the complex communities of microorganisms living in the respiratory tract and how they influence human health and disease.

Unlocking the lung microbiome

The lung microbiome is an emerging field of research that was first identified over a decade ago. Dr Singanayagam’s lab is using cutting-edge immunological and molecular microbiological techniques to study how resident microbes, also known as commensal bacteria, shape the immune response in the lungs.

His work aims to uncover how microbial communities help maintain immune system balance in healthy individuals and how disruptions can contribute to chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can reduce the ability to fight respiratory infections.

With the support from the Lister Prize, Dr Singanayam will explore the role of fungal organisms within the lung microbiome. He said: “Receiving the Lister Prize is a huge honour and will have a profound impact upon my career trajectory. It will allow my group to embark on an exciting new avenue studying the role of resident fungal commensals within the lungs, an area where there is currently very limited knowledge.”

“I also look forward to joining the Lister Fellows community which will undoubtedly bolster our progress through fostering new inter-disciplinary collaborations.”

The Lister Prize is one of the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious awards for biomedical researchers in the early years of establishing their own laboratories and research groups. Unlike project-based grants, the Prize provides a lump sum that can be spent flexibly on staffing, equipment or other research costs – giving Fellows the freedom to take their science in bold new directions. Prize recipients also join a vibrant, lifelong community of current and former Lister Fellows and benefit from mentorship at the Lister’s Annual Fellows Meeting. 

Professor Sir John Iredale, Chair of the Lister Institute, said: “The Lister Prize exists to back exceptional early-career researchers at the moment when bold ideas can have the greatest impact. This year’s Fellows exemplify the ambition, originality and scientific excellence needed to tackle some of the most important biomedical challenges of our time. We are proud to support them as they shape the future of research in the UK and Ireland.” 

Julie Goodley, Director of the Lister Institute, said: “What makes the Lister Prize so distinctive is the flexibility it gives researchers to follow the most promising directions in their science. Our 2026 Fellows are asking important and ambitious questions, and this funding gives them the freedom and confidence to explore them fully. We are delighted to welcome them into the Lister community.”