- Innovative Medicine
- Dr. Paul Janssen Award
- Past winners
Dr. Paul Janssen Award recipients
Meet our past recipients
See all of our past Dr. Paul Janssen Award recipients below.
2025
Tony Hunter, Ph.D.
Tony Hunter, Ph.D.
American Cancer Society and Renato Dulbecco Chair at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
For the discovery of tyrosine kinases and protein-tyrosine phosphorylation as mechanisms for the malignant transformation of normal cells into cancer cells and other disease states.
Tony Hunter Winner Video Remarks
American Cancer Society and Renato Dulbecco Chair at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
For the discovery of tyrosine kinases and protein-tyrosine phosphorylation as mechanisms for the malignant transformation of normal cells into cancer cells and other disease states.
Tony Hunter Winner Video Remarks
2024
Dr. Lynne Maquat, Sc.D. & Dr. Alexander Varshavsky
Dr. Lynne Maquat, Sc.D.
J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of Rochester
Dr. Alexander Varshavsky
Thomas Hunt Morgan Professor of Biology at the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering California Institute of Technology
For their fundamental discoveries about regulated degradation of RNAs and proteins.
J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of Rochester
Dr. Alexander Varshavsky
Thomas Hunt Morgan Professor of Biology at the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering California Institute of Technology
For their fundamental discoveries about regulated degradation of RNAs and proteins.
2023
Dr. Robert Langer, Sc.D.
David H. Koch Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
For his groundbreaking work in designing novel drug delivery systems that can deliver medications continuously, precisely, and at controlled rates over extended periods.
Dr. Robert Langer Winner Video Remarks
For his groundbreaking work in designing novel drug delivery systems that can deliver medications continuously, precisely, and at controlled rates over extended periods.
Dr. Robert Langer Winner Video Remarks
2022
Jeffrey Gordon, M.D.
Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor Director, The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Jeffrey Gordon Winner Video Remarks
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Jeffrey Gordon Winner Video Remarks
2021
Katalin Karikó, Ph.D. and Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D.
Katalin Karikó, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, BioNTech Adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery,
University of Pennsylvania
Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D.
Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research, University of Pennsylvania
For uncovering ways to safely use mRNAs in vaccines and therapeutics.
Prize Winner Announcement
Senior Vice President, BioNTech Adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery,
University of Pennsylvania
Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D.
Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research, University of Pennsylvania
For uncovering ways to safely use mRNAs in vaccines and therapeutics.
Prize Winner Announcement
2020
Lewis C. Cantley, Ph.D.
of Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian
For discovering a new method for precisely manipulating genetic information in ways that should produce new insights in health and disease, and may lead to the discovery of new targets for drug development.
Prize Winner Announcement
For discovering a new method for precisely manipulating genetic information in ways that should produce new insights in health and disease, and may lead to the discovery of new targets for drug development.
Prize Winner Announcement
2019
Franz-Ulrich Hartl, M.D. and Arthur Horwich, M.D.
Franz-Ulrich Hartl, M.D.
Director, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
Arthur Horwich, M.D.
Sterling Professor of Genetics and Professor of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine and Investigator Howard Hughes Medical Institute
For their revolutionary insights into chaperone-mediated protein folding.
Prize Winner Announcement
Franz-Ulrich Hartl Winner Video Remarks
Arthur Horwich Winner Video Remarks
Director, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
Arthur Horwich, M.D.
Sterling Professor of Genetics and Professor of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine and Investigator Howard Hughes Medical Institute
For their revolutionary insights into chaperone-mediated protein folding.
Prize Winner Announcement
Franz-Ulrich Hartl Winner Video Remarks
Arthur Horwich Winner Video Remarks
2018
James Allison, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Immunology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
For pioneering a novel and effective strategy to harness the immune system for treating solid tumor cancers.
Prize Winner Announcement
James Allison Winner Video Remarks
For pioneering a novel and effective strategy to harness the immune system for treating solid tumor cancers.
Prize Winner Announcement
James Allison Winner Video Remarks
2017
Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D.
Founder and Director, Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine,University of Pennsylvania, PA, U.S.A.
For pioneering the field of human mitochondrial genetics and its application to the study of disease, aging, and patterns of human migration.
Prize Winner Announcement
Douglas C. Wallace Winner Video Remarks
For pioneering the field of human mitochondrial genetics and its application to the study of disease, aging, and patterns of human migration.
Prize Winner Announcement
Douglas C. Wallace Winner Video Remarks
2016
Yoshinori Ohsumi, Ph.D.
Professor, Frontier Research Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
For discoveries concerning the molecular basis of autophagy, a universal process by which cells digest their own organelles to generate life-saving energy during starvation.
Prize Winner Announcement
Yoshinori Ohsumi Winner Video Remarks
For discoveries concerning the molecular basis of autophagy, a universal process by which cells digest their own organelles to generate life-saving energy during starvation.
Prize Winner Announcement
Yoshinori Ohsumi Winner Video Remarks
2015
Bert Vogelstein, M.D.
Clayton Professor of Oncology and Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Director, Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics & Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Maryland, U.S.A.
For his breakthroughs in oncology research, which have spanned more than two decades and have formed the basis of modern cancer research.
Bert Vogelstein Winner Video Remarks
For his breakthroughs in oncology research, which have spanned more than two decades and have formed the basis of modern cancer research.
Bert Vogelstein Winner Video Remarks
2014
Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D.
Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D.
Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D. Hannover Medical School and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Germany and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Prize Winner Announcement
Emmanuelle Charpentier Winner Video Remarks
Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D. Hannover Medical School and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Germany and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Prize Winner Announcement
Emmanuelle Charpentier Winner Video Remarks
2014
Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D.
Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A
For their co-discovery of a new method for precisely manipulating genetic information in ways that should produce new insights in health and disease, and may lead to the discovery of new targets for drug development.
Prize Winner Announcement
Jennifer Doudna Winner Video Remarks
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A
For their co-discovery of a new method for precisely manipulating genetic information in ways that should produce new insights in health and disease, and may lead to the discovery of new targets for drug development.
Prize Winner Announcement
Jennifer Doudna Winner Video Remarks
2013
David Julius, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
For his discovery of the molecular mechanism that controls thermosensation (sensory perception of temperature) and elucidation of the role this mechanism plays in the sensation of acute and inflammatory pain.
For his discovery of the molecular mechanism that controls thermosensation (sensory perception of temperature) and elucidation of the role this mechanism plays in the sensation of acute and inflammatory pain.
2012
Victor Ambros, Ph.D. and Gary Ruvkun, Ph.D.
Victor Ambros, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Gary Ruvkun, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School Professor of Genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
For their co-discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) as central regulators of gene expression and development.
Prize Winner Announcement
Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Gary Ruvkun, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School Professor of Genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
For their co-discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) as central regulators of gene expression and development.
Prize Winner Announcement
2011
Napoleone Ferrara, M.D.
Genentech Fellow, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
For his research on angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation that plays a key role in cancer proliferation and a number of other diseases.
Prize Winner Announcement
For his research on angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation that plays a key role in cancer proliferation and a number of other diseases.
Prize Winner Announcement
2010
Erik De Clercq, M.D., Ph.D. and Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Erik De Clercq, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Leuven, Belgium
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institutes of Health, Maryland, U.S.A.
For his pioneering work in understanding and combating viral diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.
Prize Winner Announcement
Professor Emeritus, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Leuven, Belgium
For pioneering discoveries of the role of variation in the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, health and disease.
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institutes of Health, Maryland, U.S.A.
For his pioneering work in understanding and combating viral diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.
Prize Winner Announcement
2009
Axel Ullrich, Ph.D.
Director of the Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich, Germany.
For his pioneering work in applying molecular biology and molecular cloning to the discovery of protein therapeutics for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes and cancer.
Prize Winner Announcement
For his pioneering work in applying molecular biology and molecular cloning to the discovery of protein therapeutics for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes and cancer.
Prize Winner Announcement
2008
Marc Feldmann, FMedSci, FAA, FRS and Sir Ravinder Maini, FMedSci, FRCP, FRS
Marc Feldmann, FMedSci, FAA, FRS
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College
Sir Ravinder Maini, FMedSci, FRCP, FRS
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College
For their role in the discovery of tumor necrosis factor-alpha as an effective therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
Prize Winner Announcement
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College
Sir Ravinder Maini, FMedSci, FRCP, FRS
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College
For their role in the discovery of tumor necrosis factor-alpha as an effective therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
Prize Winner Announcement
2006
Craig C. Mello, M.D.
Co-director, RNA Therapeutics Institute and Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School
For his role in the discovery of RNA interference and the elucidation of its biological functions.
Prize Winner Announcement
For his role in the discovery of RNA interference and the elucidation of its biological functions.
Prize Winner Announcement