A NEW University of Bolton pharmacy professor has been given an OBE in the New Year's Honours List.

Prof Mahendra Patel is known for his work, both nationally and internationally, in health education, health promotion and innovative practice and was instrumental in implementing the Covid-19 Principle Trial, which brought together the Universities of Bolton and Oxford.

Having been awarded the prestigious Royal Pharmaceutical Society Presidents Charter Award in 2016, this honour is the latest accolade in the impressive and glittering career of Prof Patel.

He said: “It is an amazing honour to receive such a prestigious award, for which I am truly humbled. It's important to sincerely thank and recognise all those teams and colleagues who have provided me with many essential tools - the learning, inspiration and unbelievable opportunities that have been created over the years.

“They have all, to some extent, brought me to a point to where I genuinely feel that I may just have helped make some positive difference to someone somewhere along the line as a result.”

Prof Patel follows in the footsteps of University of Bolton colleague Dr Kondal Kandadi, who was honoured in last year's list, and vice chancellor Prof George Holmes is understandably proud: “To have another colleague honoured in this way is extremely gratifying and shows how much the University is achieving.

“The trials which Prof Patel is collaborating with the University of Oxford on are having a vital impact in developing new, as well as repurposed, medicines to help treat Covid and prevent people from having to be admitted to hospital.

“I have known Mahendra for many years and he is a good person who richly deserves this award."