And we will now call on our newest laureate to deliver her laureate address, Professor Maria Lepton.

Dear Linda, Patrick, friends and colleagues in the room, members of the Long Room Hub, and members of Trinity.

Thank you very much.

When people receive awards, they often state that they are humbled, when you can in fact see them brimming with pride.

So I'll just say I'm really proud.

And of course, it's a great honor.

It's a great honor to receive the Trinity European Laureate Award.

Do research bodies have to be independent? Because when you see other parts of the world where there are attempts to change what is independent, scientifically accepted and to try and interfere with the science that if these places aren't independent, then you are subject to that kind of interference.