The Genetics Society is a British learned society. It was founded by William Bateson and Edith Rebecca Saunders in 1919 and celebrated its centenary year in 2019. It is therefore one of the oldest learned societies devoted to genetics. Its membership of over 2000 consists of most of the UK's active professional geneticists, including researchers, teachers and students. Industry and publishing are also represented in the membership.
The Genetics Society is a registered charity that organises scientific meetings to promote current research in genetics and genomics, and publishes primary research in genetics in the journals Heredity and Genes and Development. It supports students to attend meetings, sponsors research through fieldwork grants and student bursaries, and promotes the public understanding of genetics.
Presidents of The Genetics Society YearsPresident2024-presentGil McVean, FRS FMedSci2021-2024 Anne Ferguson-Smith, FRS2018-2021 Laurence Hurst, FRS2015–2018 Wendy Bickmore, FRS2012–2015 Enrico Coen, FRS2009-2012 Veronica van Heyningen, FRS2006-2009 Brian Charlesworth, FRS2003-2006 Jonathan Hodgkin, FRS2000-2003 Linda Partridge, FRS1997-2000 Michael Ashburner, FRS1994-1997 David John Sherratt, FRS1990-1994 Paul Nurse, PRS1987-1990 Noreen Murray, FRS1984-1987 David Hopwood, FRS1981-1984 John L. Jinks, FRS1978-1981 John Fincham, FRS1975-1978 John Thoday, FRS1973-1975 Ralph Riley, FRS1971-1973 William Hayes, FRS1968-1971 Dan Lewis FRS1966-1968 Charlotte Auerbach, FRS1964-1966 Guido Pontecorvo, FRS1961-1964 David Catcheside, FRS1958-1961 CH Waddington, FRS1955-1958 Lionel Penrose, FRS1952-1955 Sydney Harland, FRS1949-1952 Kenneth Mather, FRS1946-1949 EB Ford, FRS1943-1946 CD Darlington, FRS1940-1943 Ronald Fisher, FRS1938-1940 Francis Albert Eley Crew, FRS1936-1938 Miss ER Saunders, FRHS1932-1936 JBS Haldane, FRS1930-1932 Reginald Punnett, FRS1919-1930 Arthur Balfour, FRS
Society publications The society publishes the journal Heredity in association with Nature Publishing Group and the journal Genes & Development in association with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: About Genes & Development It also publishes The Genetics Society Newsletter and the Naked Genetics and Genetics Unzipped (the latter hosted by Kat Arney) podcasts.
Medals and prizes
Mendel Medal The Mendel Medal is named after Gregor Mendel (1822–84), famous for his experiments on heredity in peas and founder of genetics as a scientific discipline. The Mendel Medal is awarded by the President of the Genetics Society, usually twice within the President's term of office, to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to research in any field of genetics.
Year Recipient2026Joe Felsenstein2023Caroline Dean2022Azim Surani & Davor Solter2021 Linda Partridge2019 William G. Hill2018 Mary-Claire King2017 David Baulcombe2015 John Doebley2013 Stanislas Leibler2012 Eric Lander2010 Susan Lindquist2009 Wen-Hsiung Li2008 Matthew Meselson2007 H. Robert Horvitz2006 David Weatherall2004 Chris R. Somerville2003 Mary F. Lyon2002 Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza2001 Leland H. Hartwell2000 James Watson1999 Eric F. Wieschaus1998 David Hopwood1998 Charles Weissmann1997 Elliot Meyerowitz1994 Seymour Benzer1992 Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard1991 Ira Herskowitz1989 Piotr Słonimski1987 Alec Jeffreys1985 John Maynard Smith1984 Alan Robertson1981 Walter Bodmer1979 Guido Pontecorvo1977 Charlotte Auerbach1974 Dan Lewis (geneticist)1972 C. D. Darlington1970 Sydney Brenner1968 Max Delbrück1966 Francis Crick1965 William Hayes1962 François Jacob1960 C. H. Waddington1958 George Wells Beadle
Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize The Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize is awarded jointly by The Genetics Society and The University of Birmingham and rewards a student of any UK University or Research Institution who has shown outstanding performance in the area of quantitative or population genetics.
Academic Year Recipient Institute Joint recipient Institute 2021/22 Sam Mitchell University of Edinburgh 2020/21 Robert Hillary University of Edinburgh 2019/20 Rosa Cheesman King's College London 2018/19 Gonçalo Faria University of St. Andrews 2017/18 Rosina Savisaar University of Bath 2016/17 Danag Crysnanto University of Edinburgh 2015/16 Jessica King University of Edinburgh 2014/15 Robert Power Wellcome Trust Africa Centre for Population Health 2013/14 Tom Booker University of Edinburgh Simon Martin University of Cambridge 2012/13 Laura Corbin Roslin Institute Xiachi Xin University of Edinburgh 2011/12 Holly Trochet University of Edinburgh 2010/11 Ben Longdon University of Edinburgh Gibran Hemani Roslin Institute 2009/10 Kay Boulton University of Edinburgh 2008/09 Kreepa Kooblall University of Birmingham 2007/08 Mark Adams University of Edinburgh
Balfour Lecture The Balfour Lecture, named after the Genetics Society's first president, is an award to mark the contributions to genetics of an outstanding young investigator. The Balfour Lecturer is elected by the Society's Committee on the basis of nominations made by any individual member of the Society. The only conditions are that the recipient of the award must normally have less than 10 years’ postdoctoral research experience at the time of nomination, and that any nomination must be made with the consent of the nominee. Those making nominations must be members of the Genetics Society, but there is no requirement for the nominee to be a member, nor is there any restriction on nationality or residence.
Year Recipient2026Hilary Martin2025Nicky Whiffin2024Pontus Skoglund 2023 Lucy van Dorp 2022 Sam Behjati 2021 Alison Wright 2020 Sarah Flanagan 2019 Susan Johnston 2018 Ludmil Alexandrov 2017 Andrew J. Wood 2016 Felicity C. Jones 2014 Elizabeth Murchison 2013 Simon Myers 2012 Örjan Carlborg 2011 Mohan Madan Babu 2010 Andrew P Jackson 2009 Matthew Hurles 2008 Daven Presgraves 2007 Miltos Tsiantis 2006 Olivier Voinnet 2005 Mario de Bono 2004 Gilean McVean 2003 Frank Uhlmann 2002 Adam Eyre-Walker 2001 Sally J. Leevers 2000 Daniel G. Bradley 1999 Darren G. Monckton 1998 Colin Stirling 1997 Wendy Bickmore 1996 Robin Allshire 1995 Daniel St Johnston 1994 John Todd 1993 Nick Barton 1992 William R. A. Brown 1991 Philip Ingham 1990 Paul Eggleston 1989 Ian J. Jackson 1988 Enrico Coen
Mary Lyon Medal This new award, named after the distinguished geneticist Mary F. Lyon FRS, was established in 2015 to reward outstanding research in genetics to scientists who are in the middle of their research career.
Year Recipient2026Zamin Iqbal2025Kathy Niakan2024Adele Marston2023 Cecilia Lindgren2022 Irene Miguel-Aliaga2021 Julian Knight2020 Alastair Wilson2019 Oliver Pybus2018 Sarah Teichmann 2017 Petra Hajkova 2016 Duncan Odom 2015 Loeske Kruuk
Genetics Society Medal The Genetics Society Medal is an award that recognizes outstanding research contributions to genetics. The Medal recipient, who should still be active in research at the time the Medal is awarded, will be elected annually by the Genetics Society Committee on the basis of nominations made by any individual member of the Society. Those making nominations must be members of the Genetics Society, but there is no requirement for the nominee to be a member, nor any restriction on nationality or residence. Neither current members of the Committee nor those who have retired from office in the past four years may be nominated for the award. The recipient is invited to deliver a lecture at a Genetics Society meeting, where the medal will be awarded, in the year following their election.
Year Recipient2026Richard Durbin2025Josephine Pemberton2024Rob Martienssen 2023 Douglas Higgs 2022 Robin Lovell-Badge 2021 David Sherratt 2020 Peter Donnelly 2019 Deborah Charlesworth 2018 Michael W. Bevan 2017 Marisa Bartolomei 2016 Ottoline Leyser 2015 Alan Ashworth 2014 Jonathan Flint 2013 Robin Allshire 2012 Stephen West 2011 Jonathan Hodgkin 2010 Laurence Hurst 2009 Steve Brown 2008 Nicholas Hastie 2007 Caroline Dean 2006 Michael Ashburner 2005 Phil Ingham
JBS Haldane Lecture The JBS Haldane Lecture, named in honour of the pioneering geneticist and evolutionary biologist J. B. S. Haldane, recognises an individual for outstanding ability to communicate topical subjects in genetics research, widely interpreted, to an interested lay audience. Awards are made annually and are presented at an open lecture given by the awardee.
Year Recipient2026Carola Vinuesa2025Gregory Radick2024Alison Bentley 2023 Adam Rutherford 2022 Mike Fay 2021 Matthew Cobb 2020 Jonathan Pettitt 2019 Giles Yeo 2018 Turi King 2017 Enrico Coen 2016 Aoife McLysaght 2015 Alison Woollard 2014 Armand Marie Leroi 2013 Mark Henderson
Bruce Cattanach Prize The Bruce Cattanach Prize is a 2022 addition to the Society award portfolio and is awarded annually for an outstanding PhD thesis related to the use of non-human in vivo animal models.
Academic Year Recipient Institute Joint recipient Institute2026Robin JournotCurie Institute2025Janay FoxMcGill University2023/24Matthew HiggsCardiff University 2022 Louisa Zolkiewski University of Oxford
References