BNA Congratulates Professor Sarah Tabrizi on CBE in The King's Birthday Honours
The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) warmly congratulates Professor Sarah Tabrizi on being appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in The King's Birthday Honours, in recognition of her services to people with Huntington's disease.
A valued member of the BNA community for many years and recipient of the BNA's 2025 Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience Award, Professor Tabrizi has transformed the landscape of Huntington's disease research through her pioneering work spanning fundamental discovery, biomarker development and clinical translation.
The King's Birthday Honours recognise individuals who have made exceptional contributions to public life and demonstrated outstanding service to society. Professor Tabrizi's appointment reflects decades of dedication to improving the lives of people affected by Huntington's disease and advancing the search for effective treatments.
Professor Tabrizi is Professor of Clinical Neurology at University College London (UCL), Director of the UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Joint Head of the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and a Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL.
Over almost 30 years of research, she has redefined our understanding of Huntington's disease and helped establish an entirely new era of therapeutic possibility for this devastating inherited neurodegenerative condition.
Professor Sarah Tabrizi said:
I am deeply honoured and humbled to be recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. This award reflects many years of collaborative effort with an extraordinary community of researchers, clinicians and, above all, individuals and families affected by Huntington’s disease. I am profoundly grateful to the patients and families who have worked alongside me and contributed to research over many years - their commitment makes progress possible, and their resilience and tremendous courage inspires everything I do. I would also like to acknowledge my exceptional colleagues at the Huntington’s Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCLH National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, and UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), all of whom have been essential to driving forward my research. I’m equally grateful to the CHDI Foundation, the Medical Research Council, the UK DRI, the Wellcome Trust and all of the funders who have been so supportive of my research. I have worked on Huntington’s disease for almost 30 years, and progress has required persistence, collaboration and a belief that meaningful change is possible. I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with such talented and committed individuals, and to contribute to a global effort focused on improving outcomes for patients. This honour strengthens my resolve to continue striving towards effective therapies for Huntington’s disease.
Among her many achievements, Professor Tabrizi led the landmark first-in-human studies of gene-targeting therapies designed to reduce levels of the toxic mutant huntingtin protein responsible for the disease. This groundbreaking work provided the first proof that gene-silencing approaches could successfully target the underlying cause of Huntington's disease in patients, fundamentally altering the therapeutic landscape for neurodegenerative disorders.
Her leadership of major international studies, including Track-HD and the HD Young Adult Study, has also transformed understanding of the earliest stages of Huntington's disease, identifying biomarkers and disease trajectories that are now used worldwide in clinical trials. More recently, her work on the gene therapy AMT-130 has marked another significant milestone for the field, with early clinical findings suggesting a substantial slowing of disease progression.
In 2025, the BNA recognised Professor Tabrizi's exceptional achievements by awarding her the Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience Award, the Association's highest honour. The award celebrates neuroscientists whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of the nervous system while delivering meaningful benefits to society. Professor Tabrizi's career exemplifies this mission: combining scientific excellence with an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for patients and families affected by Huntington's disease.
Dr Laura Ajram, Chief Executive of the British Neuroscience Association, said:
Professor Sarah Tabrizi's appointment as a CBE is a richly deserved recognition of her extraordinary contributions to neuroscience and, most importantly, to the Huntington's disease community. Through scientific rigour, determination and compassionate leadership, she has transformed what was once considered an untreatable condition into an area of genuine therapeutic hope. Sarah's work exemplifies the very best of neuroscience: discovery driven by a commitment to improving lives. We are immensely proud to count her among our longstanding members and previous recipients of the BNA's Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience Award.
We extend our sincere congratulations to Professor Tabrizi on this well-deserved honour and thank her for her continued dedication to advancing neuroscience and improving the lives of those affected by Huntington's disease.
If you would like to hear more from Professor Tabrizi about her career and groundbreaking research, you can watch the interview we recorded with her at the BNA Festive Symposium 2025, Delivering Neuroscience: From Synapse to Society.
