AstraZeneca and Bia Analytical dominate Lab Awards 2025
3 Nov 2025
AstraZeneca dominated a hard fought contest for this year’s Lab Awards at Lab Innovations, winning in four out of 13 categories.
The firm’s global quality SHE, sustainability and QC IT lead Andrew King took the coveted Outstanding Achievement prize.
In addition, it won Best Research Project, Sustainability Best Practice (laboratory category) and Laboratory of the Year
The awards – staged at the Lab innovations Show at Birmingham NEC and jointly run by the event organisers with Laboratory News – also saw Bia Analytical scoop two awards, giving it the second biggest haul.
It won Best Automation and Data Innovation, as well as the Rising Star award for Dr Stephanie Heaney.
Heaney was praised by the judges for her “exceptional initiative and leadership potential, making her a standout figure with a bright future ahead”.
Introducing the event, host and judge, Laboratory News columnist Matthew Partridge said the contestant represented not only hard work, but vision, creativity and commitment to excellence.”
Partridge, the director of outreach and Senior Enterprise Fellow at the University of Southampton School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering added:
“We’ve had a record-breaking number of entries, and as one of this year's judges I can tell you that the quality of submissions has been truly outstanding.
“Over the past 12 months, your achievements have pushed boundaries, solved challenges, and shaped the future of our industry. The shortlist you’ll see today reflects not just hard work, but vision, creativity, and a commitment to excellence.”
The full list of awards and winners are:
- Outstanding Achievement: Andrew King, AstraZeneca global quality SHE, sustainability and QC IT lead
- Best Consumables Innovation: Merah Medical’s Samplar Max Auto product
- Best Sustainable Innovation: Eppendorf Biobased Pipette Tips from Scientific Laboratory Supplies
- Sustainability Best Practice – Laboratory: AstraZeneca Green Labs Program
- Sustainability Best Practice – Supplier: Nettle Meadow nature reserve by CAMLAB
- Best Research Project: AstraZeneca, NGS
- Commitment to Skills & Training: The Science Apprenticeship Forum
- Best Automation & Data Innovation: Bia Analytical for Biametric Portal & Risk Dashboard
- Best Technology Innovation: Sotax for JetX
- Laboratory of the Year: AstraZeneca Mount Vernon Quality Control Laboratory
- Supplier Excellence: Shimadzu – Because Science Is Personal | Highly Commended: Element Lab Solutions
- Rising Star: Dr Stephanie Heaney, Bia Analytical
- Lab Technician of the Year: Natallia Makava, University of Leeds | Highly Commended: Lauryn Jewkes, SureScreen Scientifics
The Lab Awards were sponsored by Scientific Laboratory Supplies, Shimadzu, LabOS and My Green Lab.
Full details and photos of the 2025 Lab Awards will appear in the next edition of Laboratory News, published later this month.
