The winners of 2017 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists
The Blavatnik Young Scientists award recognizes pioneers in bioengineering, chemistry, and nanoscience. This year’s awards selected three rising stars in the fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering. The selected winners offered the new groundbreaking technology that will help to eradicate disease, solve energy problems and protect the environment. The winners are:
Dr. Feng Zhang – Dr. Feng Zhang has a Ph.D. and is a Core Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He is also an Associate Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biomedical Engineering at MIT. Zhang has also worked as a Robertson Investigator at the New York Stem Cell Foundation. Dr. Zhang was awarded the award for his role in developing the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system and demonstrating pioneering uses in mammalian cells. Dr. Zhang has also developed revolutionary technologies in neuroscience.
Melanie S. Sanford – Melanie S. Sanford holds a Ph.D., Moses Gomberg Distinguished University Professor and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Dr. Sanford was awarded The Blavatnik Young Scientist Award for developing simpler chemical approaches that have less environmental impact. Her methods will be used for carbon dioxide recycling for drug discovery.
Yi Cui – Yi Cui is a Ph.D. holder and a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Photon Science and Chemistry at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Dr. Cui was presented with the Blavatnik award for his technological innovations in nanomaterials that will impact environmental protection and develop sustainable energy sources.
The winners received a cash award of $250,000 each to further their research. Many of the members of the Access Industries group were present at the award ceremony.
