9 September 2025 News
A new motor neurone disease (MND) research prize launched by the MND Association in honour of its late patron and rugby league legend, Rob Burrow CBE, has been awarded to Dr Oscar Wilkins from University College London (UCL).
The MND Association’s Chief Scientist Dr Brian Dickie presented the first Rob Burrow Early Career Researcher (ECR) Prize, an annual award presented to an outstanding UK-based researcher in their early academic career, to Dr Wilkins at the UCL/MND Research Institute Symposium in London on Friday 5 September.
Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019. A rugby league icon, he became a tireless advocate for MND awareness and the need for greater investment into research. Rob’s courage, public campaigning, and determination to make a difference for other people with MND inspired the nation. He died in June 2024, aged 41.
Dr Wilkins was first motivated to study MND after a family member died from the disease. This drove him to search for new treatments which not only extend life but also improve quality of life for people with neurodegenerative diseases.
I am truly honoured to receive this prize, part of Rob Burrow’s legacy - someone who, together with his family and friends, has raised so much awareness of MND and highlighted how devastating the condition is. The dedication and courage of Rob Burrow, his family, and his extraordinary friend Kevin Sinfield are deeply inspiring to me as an MND researcher. Until very recently, clinical trials for MND were frequently based on limited information. However, MND treatments being developed today are underpinned by genetic-level knowledge of the disease – that’s really exciting. We’ve seen from other motor neurone degenerative conditions that when we build therapies based on this kind of deeper understanding, they can be incredibly effective.
Dr Oscar Wilkins, Rob Burrow ECR Prizewinner
The groundbreaking research Dr Wilkins is involved in, if successful, could have a huge impact on people with MND in the future. We are forever grateful to Rob for helping to make more people aware of how devastating this disease is. This award is in recognition of Rob’s drive to find effective treatments for MND and his determination to accelerate MND research so no one else would have to face the same diagnosis. It’s thanks to Rob and the efforts of so many others that so much exciting new research can be funded – which could pave the way for a very different outlook for people with MND in years to come.
Dr Brian Dickie, Chief Scientist at the MND Association
As part of the prize, Dr Wilkins received a commemorative medal, £10,000 funding and a travel bursary to attend the MND Association’s International Symposium on ALS/MND, the biggest annual conference dedicated to ALS and MND research, in San Diego in December.
I am so proud to see Rob’s legacy helping to support such ground-breaking work, and this is just the first of many research funding opportunities. I would love to think the work we will support will make crucial progress in our fight against MND.
Geoff Burrow, Rob’s father
Read more about Dr Wilkins' research and the research funded by the MND Association.