- Professor Jim Wild, from the University of Sheffield, has been awarded the 2025 Institute of Physics (IOP) Peter Mansfield Prize for his distinguished contributions to lung imaging with hyperpolarised gas MRI
- His work has helped advance imaging methods that enable better diagnosis and monitoring of lung diseases. Helping clinicians to detect conditions such as asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis, measure lung function more precisely, and non-invasively track treatment responses
- The Peter Mansfield Prize is one of the Institute of Physics’ most prestigious honours, recognising exceptional contributions to the application of physics in medicine
Pioneering lung imaging developed by a Sheffield scientist, which has transformed disease diagnosis and detection, has been recognised by an international award.
Professor Jim Wild, from the University of Sheffield has been awarded the 2025 Institute of Physics (IOP) Peter Mansfield Prize for his distinguished physics contributions for lung imaging using hyperpolarised gas MRI.
His work has helped advance imaging methods that enable better diagnosis and monitoring of lung diseases. Helping clinicians to detect conditions such as asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis, measure lung function more precisely, and non-invasively track treatment responses.
Since joining the University in 2000, Professor Wild has been at the forefront of developing pioneering MRI techniques that use hyperpolarised gases to assess lung structure and function.
As leader of the POLARIS (Pulmonary, Lung and Respiratory Imaging Sheffield) research group, Professor Wild’s work spans from fundamental physics and engineering, including spin exchange hyperpolarisation, RF coil design and magnetic resonance imaging sequence development, through to clinical translation in a wide range of lung diseases.
The Peter Mansfield Prize is one of the Institute of Physics’ most prestigious honours, recognising exceptional contributions to the application of physics in medicine. Named after Sir Peter Mansfield, the University of Nottingham physicist and Nobel Laureate who revolutionised MRI technology, the medal celebrates researchers whose work has had a transformative impact on both science and healthcare.
In addition to leading POLARIS, Professor Wild serves as Co-Director of the Insigneo Institute, a collaborative organisation between the University of Sheffield and three NHS trusts. His research forms the basis for patient-specific in-silico models of lung disease, central to the institute’s mission to improve diagnosis and treatment through computational medicine.
On receiving the award, Professor Jim Wild, Professor of Magnetic Resonance Physics and Executive Director of Insigneo Institute at the University of Sheffield, said: “I am very grateful and honoured to receive this award from the physics community in recognition of our group’s work in Sheffield, it reflects how advances in physics and engineering can directly improve patient care. The development of hyperpolarised gas MRI has opened up new ways to visualise lung function, giving clinicians vital insights into how diseases affect the lungs and how treatments are working.
“It is very exciting to see this technology moving from the lab into hospitals, where it is helping to change how we diagnose and monitor lung conditions. This progress has only been possible through years of highly enjoyable collaboration between physicists, clinicians, and engineers. A real example of how interdisciplinary science can make a difference to people’s lives.”
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. Its annual awards proudly reflect the wide variety of people, places, organisations and achievements that make physics such an exciting discipline. The awards celebrate physicists at every stage of their career; from those just starting out to those at the peak of their careers or with a distinguished career behind them.
Professor Tracey Moore, Interim Vice President and Head of the Faculty of Health at the University of Sheffield said: “This phenomenal and well-deserved honour recognises the very best of innovation in medical physics, and Jim’s pioneering work is a perfect fit.
“His research doesn't just push the boundaries of scientific understanding; it translates directly into life-changing clinical tools, driving real-world advances that save and improve patient lives and truly honouring the spirit of Sir Peter Mansfield's legacy.”
Congratulating Jim and the rest of this year’s award winners, Institute of Physics President Professor Michele Dougherty CBE FRS FInstP FRAS FRSSAf, said: “On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I want to congratulate all of this year’s award winners on the significant and positive impact they have made in their profession, be it as a researcher, teacher, industrialist, technician or apprentice, and I hope they are incredibly proud of their achievements.
“It is becoming more obvious that the opportunities generated by a career in physics are many and varied - and the potential our science has to transform our society and economy in the modern world is huge.
“I hope our winners appreciate they are playing an important role in this community, and know how proud we are to celebrate their successes - I hope their stories will help to inspire current and future generations of scientists.”
More information about the IOP Awards here
To find our more about INSIGNEO Institute at the University of Sheffield, please visit: INSIGNEO