BLAVATNIK AWARDS

The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists honor exceptional young scientists and engineers by celebrating their extraordinary achievements, recognizing outstanding promise, and accelerating

innovation through unrestricted funding.

For Young Scientists

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“Encouraging and supporting young scientists is essential if we are to successfully address society’s challenges. By honoring these young individuals and their achievements we are

helping to promote the breakthroughs in science and technology that will define how our world

will look over the next century.”

LEN BLAVATNIKFOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN

ACCESS INDUSTRIES AND BLAVATNIK FAMILY FOUNDATION

Table of ContentsKey Features ..............................................................................................................................................4

Our History ................................................................................................................................................6

Blavatnik Regional Awards ...................................................................................................................8

Blavatnik National Awards ................................................................................................................. 10

Blavatnik Awards in the United Kingdom ......................................................................................12

Blavatnik Awards in Israel................................................................................................................... 14

Blavatnik Science Scholars ................................................................................................................. 16

In the News ............................................................................................................................................. 18

Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic... ................................................................................................ 19

Established by: Administered by: Blavatnik Awards in Israel, in collaboration with:

FAMILY FOUNDATIONBLAVATNIK

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Key Features of The Blavatnik Awardsfor Young ScientistsOpen to researchers working in more than 36 different scientific and engineering disciplines in three categories:

The Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists in Chemistry

The Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists in Physical Sciences & Engineering

The Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists in Life Sciences

• Recognize and support outstanding young scientists and engineers early in their careers when additional funding and recognition have the greatest impact on their work.

• Honorees are selected based on the quality, novelty, and impact of their research, and their potential for further significant contributions to science.

• Offer the largest unrestricted prizes ever created for early-career scientists.

• Connect alumni with a network of their peers throughout the world to foster collaboration.

“Young scientists drive scientific discovery and innovation. They feel urgency and impatience. They think creatively and boldly. While we must support promising scientists at all levels, young scientists are a critical resource that we must nurture for the good of the whole scientific enterprise.”

ERIC S. LANDERDIRECTOR, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICYMEMBER, BLAVATNIK NATIONAL AWARDS SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COUNCIL

“Past and present Blavatnik Scholars are some of the top young scientists in the world. We are proud to celebrate them and their achievements, and to showcase their work to the world.”

NICHOLAS B. DIRKSPRESIDENT AND CEONEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

61% of Blavatnik Awards honorees are immigrants

to the country in which they were recognized.

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2012

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The Blavatnik Family Foundation announces doubling of the prize money for Winners and Finalists starting in 2013.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences host the first annual Blavatnik Science Symposium.

Our History 2014

2014

The Blavatnik National Awards are created to honor faculty scientists across the United States, and the first Laureates in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry are announced. Each Laureate receives a $250,000 prize.

The Blavatnik Regional Awards continue to honor postdoctoral scientists in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

The Blavatnik Awards are created to celebrate the outstanding postdoctoral and faculty scientists in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation announces expansion of the Blavatnik Awards to the United Kingdom and Israel. In Israel, the New York Academy of Sciences collaborates with the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in administering the awards.

2016

THE BLAVATNIK

AWARDS CELEBRATE THEIR

10TH ANNIVERSARY!

THE BLAVATNIK

AWARDS CELEBRATE THEIR

15TH ANNIVERSARY!

2017 2018

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2018 2020

The first international Blavatnik Awards are conferred, recognizing outstanding academic faculty-level scientists and engineers in the United Kingdom and in Israel.

Blavatnik Scholars take on the COVID-19 pandemic, discovering new ways to predict and detect disease spread, identifying effective treatments, and researching new vaccine technologies.

Three women are named Blavatnik Regional Awards Winners, marking the first time in Blavatnik Awards history that the top prize is concurrently awarded to female scientists in each of the three disciplinary categories.

By the close of 2021, the Blavatnik Awards will have recognized 359 young scientists and engineers and awarded prizes totaling over US$11.9 million.

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NING JIA2020 Regional Winner in Chemistry Southern University of Science and Technology in China (formerly at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Ning Jia, PhD, has unlocked key biological mechanisms that govern the function of enzymes and CRISPR-Cas systems, such as those used in gene editing. Jia’s research has provided scientists with an enhanced understanding of the functions and structure of individual atoms in biological molecules. In the case of her work on CRISPR-Cas systems, this detailed knowledge is necessary if we are to demonstrate that gene-editing can be used in the future to cure certain genetic diseases.

“If you want to have a career in the sciences, you have to enjoy science. Then, you will love spending your time on it. My advisor Dinshaw Patel is a mentor for me, because his continuous passion in science inspires me.”

ADRIAN PRICE-WHELAN2020 Regional Winner in Physical Sciences & Engineering Flatiron Institute

The innovative use of advanced statistical analysis and computational techniques by Adrian Price-Whelan, PhD, has unlocked one of the biggest mysteries of the universe—dark matter. Utilizing satellite data to analyze the motions of stars throughout the outer regions of the Milky Way, Price-Whelan’s work has provided the first clear evidence of dark matter substructure in the outskirts of our galaxy.

“Mentorship is one of the most consequential endeavors we undertake as scientists. My own mentors have filled many different roles in my career, providing both scientific guidance and encouragement, and serving as important role models. We each deserve to have, and should be expected to provide, mentorship experiences that empower ourselves and our mentees to help all scientists become more equitable, inclusive, and successful.”

ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ-RUIZ2020 Regional Winner in Life SciencesCornell University (formerly at New York University)

Antonio Fernández-Ruiz, PhD, has expanded our understanding of how neurons in the brain coordinate their activity to support our ability to form and recall memories. By uncovering the mechanisms of this coordinated activity in the brain, Fernández-Ruiz was also able to alter how neurons are reactivated, demonstrating that memory can be improved artificially.

“Science is not just a job. It is a lifestyle, and an incredibly fulfilling one. Pursuing an academic career, nowadays, presents a path full of difficulties and obstacles, and what always gave me strength was to remember the initial motivation that drew me into science—the need to understand the world around us.”

2020 Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young ScientistsAcknowledge and celebrate the excellence of outstanding postdoctoral scientists and engineers who work in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Young scientists are nominated by research institutions across the New York region, and Winners and Finalists are selected by a group of senior scientists and engineers from institutions in this Tri-State Area. Winners are awarded US$30,000 each and Finalists are awarded US$10,000 each in unrestricted funds.

Meet the 2020 Blavatnik Awards Regional Winners

LEFT: 2019 Blavatnik Regional Awards honorees with Brooke Grindlinger, Chief Scientific Officer, New York Academy of Sciences, and Peter Thorén, Executive Vice President, Access Industries.

ABOVE: 2018 Blavatnik Regional Awards Winner in Physical Sciences & Engineering, Lingyan Shi.

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MIRCEA DINCĂ2021 National Laureate in Chemistry Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Most materials that conduct electricity are densely packed metals. Inorganic chemist Mircea Dincă, PhD, has proven that certain porous materials—metal-organic frameworks (or MOFs)—can also conduct electricity and be used in fuel cells and supercapacitors, which play critical roles in green technology systems. Taking inspiration from how individual molecules can conduct electricity, Dincă achieved a conducting MOF by weaving a network of conducting molecules into a porous solid. Dincă has operated his MOFs as supercapacitors and can retain performance after repeated use, an essential property for their use in commercial products. He is now partnering with Lamborghini to incorporate MOFs for energy storage in future electric supercars.

“What cool, new materials would I find if I could manipulate solids at the molecular level? Having a job asking curiosity-driven questions is a privilege; the Blavatnik Award is wonderful reassurance that curiosity-driven work is still important in our metric-driven culture.”

ANDREA ALÙ2021 National Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York

Engineer and physicist Andrea Alù, PhD, is challenging the limits of materials science, influencing a wide range of engineering applications in electromagnetics, nano-optics, and acoustics. By tailoring the interactions of electromagnetic and acoustic waves with artificial materials, Alù is demonstrating, both theoretically and experimentally, how cleverly designed meta-materials can push the boundaries of physics. His work leads to new and enhanced material technologies with potential applications that include cellular communications, energy harvesting, radar cloaking, optical computing, and nano-optics.

“This fantastic recognition represents a great honor for me and my research group, and a unique encouragement to continue pursuing our curiosity-driven research into the exciting opportunities enabled by engineered materials and meta-materials.“

KAY M. TYE2021 National Laureate in Life SciencesSalk Institute for Biological Studies

Problems in processing reward, fear, and learning can cause a range of psychiatric disorders. Neuroscientist Kay M. Tye, PhD, investigates the neural circuitry that drives these emotions and cognitive abilities to understand addiction and depression. She discovered a neural pathway that underlies an animal’s willingness to engage in compulsive, reward-seeking behaviors despite negative consequences—a pattern observed in binge-eating and alcohol use disorders. This neural circuitry could be a target for therapeutic interventions. Tye’s addiction research identified a collection of neurons that serve as a biomarker that predicts whether an animal will develop compulsive binge-drinking behavior, even before being exposed to alcohol.

“It is an incredible honor for both myself and my incredible research team with whom I feel privileged to work. We are committed to continuing our efforts to understand the neural mechanisms underlying emotional and social processing.”

2021 Blavatnik National Awards for Young ScientistsCelebrate America’s most innovative and promising faculty-rank scientists and engineers.

Nominations are accepted from US-based research institutions and the Blavatnik National Awards Scientific Advisory Council. Every year, one nominee in each category is named a Blavatnik National Awards Laureate and awarded US$250,000 in unrestricted funds, with additional nominees recognized as Finalists. Laureates and Finalists are selected by a jury composed of some of the United States’ most distinguished scientists and engineers.

“Every year we see an increasing pool of outstanding candidates emerge in the Blavatnik National Awards selection, and it is indicative of the kind of prestige and visibility these Awards have and continue to gain.”

ELAINE FUCHSNATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE RECIPIENT REBECCA C. LANCEFIELD PROFESSOR OF MAMMALIAN CELL BIOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY CHAIR, 2021 BLAVATNIK NATIONAL AWARDS LIFE SCIENCES JURY

Meet the 2021 Blavatnik Awards National Laureates

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2021 BlavatnikAwards for YoungScientists in theUnited KingdomRecognize and support outstanding young scientists and engineers working in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Talented young academic staff across the UK are nominated by their university or research institution, or by members of the Blavatnik Awards UK Scientific Advisory Council. Each year, one nominee in each category is named a Blavatnik Awards UK Laureate and awarded US$100,000 in unrestricted funds, with two Finalists in each category each receiving US$30,000 in unrestricted funds. Laureates and Finalists are selected by a jury of distinguished scientists based in the UK.

“There are many prizes for senior scientists often at a time when they don’t need them and frequently years after they’ve made their big discoveries. It is a really nice change to see scientists rewarded early in their career when

they have many great things ahead of them.”

SIR VENKI RAMAKRISHNAN NOBEL LAUREATE

PRESIDENT EMERITUS, THE ROYAL SOCIETYMEMBER, THE BLAVATNIK AWARDS IN THE

UK SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COUNCIL

Meet the 2021 Blavatnik Awards Laureates in the United Kingdom

STEPHEN L. BRUSATTE2021 United Kingdom Laureate in Life SciencesThe University of Edinburgh

Stephen L. Brusatte, PhD, is a paleontologist whose work describes the anatomy, genealogy, evolution, and extinction of the dinosaurs, the origin of birds from dinosaurs, and the expansion of mammalian species after dinosaur extinction. He has pioneered new techniques to study evolutionary transitions—periods of history which are similar to some of the sudden changes in climate occurring today. Brusatte is a leading expert on theropods, a group of dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, and Allosaurus, and has described several new species. He is also a powerful science communicator, having penned a New York Times bestselling book, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, authored numerous articles for Scientific American, and is the paleontology consultant for the upcoming 2022 science fiction adventure film, Jurassic World III.

”I’m incredibly honored to receive a Blavatnik Award. I’ve been so fortunate to be able to follow my passion in studying dinosaurs and evolution. Dinosaurs are a gateway into science for so many children, and I treasure the opportunities I have to spread my enthusiasm to the next generation. Fossils tell us how real animals and ecosystems have responded to real moments of environmental change over time—knowledge that has never been more important.”

SINÉAD FARRINGTON2021 United Kingdom Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering The University of Edinburgh

Sinéad Farrington, PhD, is a leading particle physicist working to understand how nature works at its most fundamental level. She led a team of over 100 physicists at the ATLAS experiment at CERN, which in 2013 announced the first direct measurement of a Higgs boson interacting with particles that make up matter in the universe, known as fermions. Discovered only a year earlier by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN, the Higgs boson is believed to give mass to all fermions through Yukawa interactions. The 2013 measurement provided the first direct experimental confirmation of Yukawa interactions by establishing the Higgs boson’s interaction with a type of fermion known as a tau lepton. She continues to lead efforts to explore the frontiers of particle physics, focusing on searches for new particles beyond the Standard Model and developing future capabilities of ATLAS.

“High energy physics is a collaborative endeavor involving very talented individuals from around the world, working together to build machines on a grand scale, and to analyze the data they generate to help us understand how the universe works at its deepest levels. I am privileged to have been able to contribute to this endeavor and to help provide some pieces of nature’s great puzzle.”

DANIELE LEONORI2021 United Kingdom Laureate in ChemistryThe University of Manchester

Nearly all molecules of interest to chemists, including drug candidates and agrochemicals, contain the elements carbon and nitrogen. However, bonds between these two atoms are not always easy to form in the laboratory. Daniele Leonori, PhD, has shown that it is possible to form these strong bonds using visible light to catalyze, or accelerate, the chemical reaction. This technique is starting to be applied by pharmaceutical companies to facilitate new and efficient routes to lifesaving drugs and other valuable molecules.

“I am deeply honored to be named the Blavatnik Laureate in Chemistry for the United Kingdom and I owe this success to my outstanding students and postdoctoral researchers. It is their hard work and continuous ability to surprise me with new ways to look at chemistry that has led to all of our major discoveries.”

ABOVE: 2020 Blavatnik Awards in the UK Chemistry honorees

celebrate at the awards ceremony in London, UK.

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2021 BlavatnikAwards for YoungScientists inIsraelCelebrate and support outstanding young faculty-rank scientists in Israel.

Each year, one nominee in each category is named a Blavatnik Awards Israel Laureate and awarded US$100,000 in unrestricted funds. Nominations are accepted from all universities in Israel and from the Blavatnik Awards Israel Scientific Advisory Council. Laureates are selected by a jury of world-recognized researchers working in Israel.

The Blavatnik Awards in Israel are administered jointly by the New York Academy of Sciences and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

“Each of this year’s winners demonstrate their outstanding merit, their passion for pushing the frontiers of scientific discovery, and their bright future as part of a new generation of pioneering Israeli scientists.”

NILI COHEN PRESIDENT THE ISRAEL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

Meet the 2021 Blavatnik AwardsLaureates in Israel

IDO KAMINER2021 Israel Laureate in Physical Sciences & EngineeringTechnion – Israel Institute of Technology

The work of Ido Kaminer, PhD, Head of the Robert and Ruth Magid Electron Beam Quantum Dynamics Laboratory, has influenced fundamental physics research with real world applications by transforming our understanding of the quantum nature of light-matter interactions. New technologies developed in his laboratory open up the possibility of compact and tunable X-ray apparatuses for applications such as medical imaging and security scanning. He has also uncovered new aspects of the Cherenkov Effect—a burst of light seen when high-speed particles travel through gas, liquid, or solid—that was first discovered in 1934. Thought to be fully understood, Professor Kaminer has discovered hidden quantum features not previously identified by classical physics. This discovery led him to develop novel high energy particle detectors for particle accelerators such as the one at CERN.

“I am grateful for the honor and would like to thank my mentors and my students for sharing their passion for science with me. My research strives to understand the roots of quantum mechanics, which forms the foundations of our physical reality. I wake up every morning knowing that the most exciting discoveries are still ahead, and looking forward to sharing this science-journey with colleagues and students for many more years.”

YOSSI YOVEL2021 Israel Laureate in Life SciencesTel Aviv University

Yossi Yovel, PhD, is working to bridge the gap between two of the most influential fields in biology—ecology and neuroscience. He has helped to establish the new field of neuroecology, the study of how the brain controls behavior in a rapidly changing natural environment; this combination is crucial to our understanding of biological processes in the natural world. He is a leading expert on the use of bats in scientific research and studies their use of echolocation to perceive and navigate through the world. He has developed novel miniaturized GPS and other devices that monitor the behavior of freely moving bats in the wild. This work provides broader insight into group behaviors, integration of sensory information in the brain, and real-time decision making. Yovel also applies his understanding of bat echolocation in a range of robots. Yovel has made his technology freely available; it is used in field work internationally and has the potential to aid in engineering acoustic control of autonomous vehicles.

“When the border between facts and fake is fine, science should delineate it.”

RAFAL KLAJN2021 Israel Laureate in ChemistryWeizmann Institute of Science

Most man-made materials are intrinsically static, and thus not capable of undergoing change in response to external signals. The ability to react to external stimuli, such as light, heat, and touch, is fundamental to the existence and functioning of living organisms. Organic chemist, Rafal Klajn, PhD, has developed dynamic nanomaterials that are engineered to possess some of these “life-like” characteristics. For example, he has created cube-shaped, magnetic nanoparticles that are capable of self-assembling into complex double-helical materials in the presence of a magnetic field. These and other dynamic nanomaterials have potential applications in such diverse fields as water purification, energy storage, and catalysis.

“I am honored to be named the Blavatnik Laureate in Chemistry in Israel, an award that recognizes the hard work of many talented individuals in our laboratory, and that would not be possible without the continued support of my family, colleagues, and mentors.”

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2007FACULTY WINNERSLéon BottouGeorge Malliaras Ruslan Medzhitov Milan Stojanovic Leslie B. Vosshall

FACULTY FINALISTSAntje Baeumner Christoph Bregler Geoffrey CoatesAntonio Giraldez Tarun Kapoor Scott Keeney Philip Kim Colin Nuckolls Kathryn Uhrich

2008FACULTY WINNERSSteve Gubser Laura Landweber Tom Muir

FACULTY FINALISTSDaphne BavelierGeoffrey CoatesChristine Jacobs-WagnerEric Lai Kenneth Shepard Saeed Tavazoie

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSAndrew Houck Andrey Pisarev

POSTDOCTORAL FINALISTSAlexei Aravin Matthew Evans Valerie Horsley Andreas Keller Shobha Vasudevan

2009FACULTY WINNERSPaul ChirikCarmala Garzione Rebecca Oppenheimer Shai Shaham

FACULTY FINALISTSTamas Horvath Lam HuiDaniel Sigman Denis Zorin

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSSreekanth Chalasani Ofer Feinerman Eva Pastalkova Alexander Pechen

2010FACULTY WINNERSSong-Hai Shi Zoltan Haiman Michal Lipson Evgeny Nudler

FACULTY FINALISTSElza Erkip David Evans Neal Weiner

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSYaron Lipman Haitao Liu Daniela Schiller

POSTDOCTORAL FINALISTSNicolas Reyes Agnel Sfeir

2011FACULTY WINNERSJohannes Gehrke Szabolcs Márka

FACULTY FINALISTSRobert Anderson Charalampos KalodimosJun Korenaga Olga TroyanskayaGerard Wysocki

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSFranck Oury Valentino Tosatti

POSTDOCTORAL FINALISTSRoberto Bonasio Mary Kay Lobo Shaun Olsen Ruth Van De Water

2012FACULTY WINNERSAndrei Bernevig Jason Fridley Alison Galvani Assaf Naor

FACULTY FINALISTSMichael Collins Wei Min

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSAndrey Feklistov Michael Hahn Robert Johnston Elisa Oricchio Nicholas Stavropoulos

2013FACULTY WINNERSDavid BleiKristjan Haule Patrick Holland Samie Jaffrey Frans Pretorius

POSTDOCTORAL WINNERSJonathan Fisher Rachel Rosen

POSTDOCTORAL FINALISTSBi-Sen Ding Emily Hodges Mariangela Lisanti Jason MacGurn Xiankai Sun

2014US NATIONAL LAUREATESAdam CohenMarin SoljačićRachel Wilson

US NATIONAL FINALISTSPhil BaranHelen Blackwell Garnet ChanChristopher ChangHoward Chang Peng ChenYi Cui Ruben GonzalezAli HajimiriPatrick HopkinsAli JaveyJonathan Kagan Ali KhademhosseiniRob KnightHarmit Malik Sarkis Mazmanian Teri Odom

Aydogan OzcanMichael RapeLeonardo RastelliMelanie SanfordWilliam ShihMichael StranoAlice TingSinisa Urban Peng YinMartin Zanni

REGIONAL WINNERSClément HonglerJeremy Palmer Panteleimon Rompolas

REGIONAL FINALISTSStephen Brohawn Dilek ColakNathaniel CraigKnut DrescherXiaowei HouJérémie Palacci

2015US NATIONAL LAUREATESChristopher ChangEdward ChangSyed Jafar

US NATIONAL FINALISTSPhil BaranBianxiao CuiYi CuiMatthew DisneyXiangfeng DuanMichael FischbachEric FordMarkus GreinerRustem IsmagilovJonathan KaganAli KhademhosseiniRob KnightNevan KroganHakho LeeHening LinYueh-Lin LooHarmit MalikLuciano MarraffiniAydogan OzcanAbhay PasupathyMichael RapeJared RutterMelanie SanfordMichael StranoAlice TingAshvin Vishwanath

Peng YinFeng ZhangYi Zuo

REGIONAL WINNERSHani GoodarziArash Nikoubashman Nicolás Young

REGIONAL FINALISTSAllyson Friedman Xiang GaoJinzhong LinYang LiuDennis PerepelitsaZiv Shulman

2016US NATIONAL LAUREATESPhil BaranDavid CharbonneauMichael Rape

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAndrea AlùAlexei BorodinGarnet ChanXin ChenYi CuiMatthew DisneyPieter DorresteinCasey DunnMichael Fischbach David Ginger, Jr.Antonio GiraldezJenny GreeneJulia GreerBo HuangSergei V. KalininRob Knight Nevan KroganTeri OdomAydogan OzcanOliver RandoAntonina Roll-MecakPardis SabetiBeth ShapiroAmit SingerEdward ValeevAnastasia VolovichLeor WeinbergerFeng Zhang

REGIONAL WINNERSWilliam AndereggJian LiTomoyasu Mani

Blavatnik Science ScholarsIn the fifteen years since its launch, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists program has built an exceptional network of honorees whose members together represent one of the most dynamic, innovative, and cross-disciplinary communities in the world.

REGIONAL FINALISTSXi ChenMatthieu GagnonKate MeyerRachel PerryEli VisbalKuang Yu

2017US NATIONAL LAUREATESYi CuiMelanie SanfordFeng Zhang

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAndrea AlùMatthew BeckerNicholas DauphasWilliam DichtelMatthew DisneyMohamed El-NaggarMichael FischbachNathan GianneschiAntonio GiraldezJulia GreerChristy HaynesMark HersamBo HuangSergei V. KalininJure LeskovecStavros LomvardasFranziska MichorCeleste NelsonBradley PenteluteAntonis RokasPardis SabetiMichael StranoDmitri TalapinTommaso TreuBenjamin TuAnastasia VolovichGleb Yushin

REGIONAL WINNERSJune HuhAndrew IlottChao Lu

REGIONAL FINALISTSAlan HealyChia Wei (Wade) HsuWilhelm PalmEunyong ParkAtaman SendoelDouglas Stanford

2018ISRAEL LAUREATESCharles Diesendruck Anat Levin Oded Rechavi

UNITED KINGDOM LAUREATESM. Madan Babu

Andrew GoodwinHenry Snaith

UNITED KINGDOM FINALISTSTimothy BehrensJohn BriggsClaudia de RhamRobert HiltonAndrew Levan Philipp Kukura

US NATIONAL LAUREATESJanelle AyresNeal K. DevarajSergei V. Kalinin

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAndrea AlùEmily BalskusAlexandra BoltassevaEdward BoydenClifford BrangwynneLuis CamposBianxiao CuiMircea DincăXiangfeng DuanJonathan FortneyNeil GargChristy HaynesRyan HaywardBo HuangJure LeskovecZachary LippmanYing Shirley MengBrian MetzgerFranziska MichorJoseph MougousCeleste NelsonBradley PenteluteJoseph SubotnikBenjamin TuAnastasia VolovichEmily WeissGene YeoGleb Yushin

REGIONAL WINNERSShruti NaikLingyan ShiLu Wei

REGIONAL FINALISTSSamuel BakhoumNiankai FuLucia GualtieriPeter SchaussPriyanka SharmaZhe Zhang

2019ISRAEL LAUREATESMoran BercoviciErez BergMichal Rivlin

UNITED KINGDOM LAUREATESPhilipp KukuraKonstantinos NikolopoulosEwa Paluch

UNITED KINGDOM FINALISTSTimothy BehrensGustav HolzegelIgor LarrosaKathy NiakanMáire O’NeillRachel O’Reilly

US NATIONAL LAUREATESEmily BalskusHeather J. LynchAna Maria Rey

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAndrea AlùClifford BrangwynneChiara DaraioWilliam DichtelXiangfeng DuanViviana GradinaruMohammad HafeziChristy HaynesIve HermansLiangbing HuMichael JewettJeremiah JohnsonSubhash KhotJure LeskovecYing Shirley MengBrian MetzgerWei MinJoseph MougousSeth MurrayNicholas NavinDavid NicewiczMohammad R.

SeyedsayamdostJoseph SubotnikBenjamin tenOeverBenjamin TuEmily WeissNieng YanGene Yeo

REGIONAL WINNERSLaura DuvallNetta EngelhardtJuntao Ye

REGIONAL FINALISTSDerya AkkaynakIgor DikiyCarla NascaLiling WanMatthew YankowitzYaping Zang

2020ISRAEL LAUREATESEmmanuel LevyGuy RothblumIgor Ulitsky

UNITED KINGDOM LAUREATESTimothy BehrensClaudia de RhamKirsty Penkman

UNITED KINGDOM FINALISTSIan ChapmanMatthew FuchterStephen GoldupEleanor StrideAmaury TriaudEdze Rients Westra

US NATIONAL LAUREATESClifford BrangwynneWilliam DichtelBrian Metzger

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAditya AkellaAndrea AlùPolina AnikeevaLuis M. CamposCory DeanGuangbin DongNeil K. GargElena GrachevaViviana GradinaruKristen GraumanMohammad HafeziMohammad HajiaghayiLiangbing HuSun HurPrashant K. JainCigall KadochSubhash KhotMaureen D. LongJulius B. LucksHoura MerrikhWei MinSeth MurrayAydogan OzcanGary J. PattiRyan A. ShenviEmily A. WeissNieng YanJoel Yuen-Zhou

REGIONAL WINNERSAntonio Fernández-RuizNing JiaAdrian Price-Whelan

REGIONAL FINALISTSZahra AbdollahnejadAmelia EscolanoXianwen Mao

Shruti PuriMarc Schneeberger PanéYifei Zhang

2021ISRAEL LAUREATESIdo KaminerRafal KlajnYossi Yovel

UNITED KINGDOM LAUREATESStephen L. BrusatteSinéad FarringtonDaniele Leonori

UNITED KINGDOM FINALISTSJohn MarioniDavid P. MillsArtem MishchenkoMatthew PownerThemis ProdromakisEdze Westre

US NATIONAL LAUREATESAndrea Alù Mircea Dincă Kay M. Tye

US NATIONAL FINALISTSAditya Akella Shannon Boettcher Brandi Cossairt Paul Dauenhauer Michael Fischbach Danna Freedman Viviana Gradinaru Kristen Grauman Kaiyu Guan Asegun Henry Liangbing Hu Sun Hur Prashant K. Jain Rebekka Klausen Houra Merrikh Wei Min Hosea M. Nelson Graham Neubig Noah Planavsky Stanley Qi Mikhail G. Shapiro Sara SkrabalakPeter Turnbaugh Kilian Weinberger Ahmet Yildiz Andrea F. Young Guihua Yu Wenjun Zhang

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Blavatnik Science ScholarsIn the NewsOded Rechavi pieces together fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls by testing the DNA of the animal hide scrolls. CNN | June 2, 2020

Ruslan Medzhitov reveals allergies may be caused by immune systems being overwhelmed by the many artificial chemicals common in modern life. The Washington Post | January 23, 2021

Claudia de Rham helps break down the science of Christopher Nolan’s latest film, “Tenet.” Los Angeles Times | September 4, 2020

William R. Dichtel develops techniques to recycle the plastic foam in mattresses and cushions that usually go to landfills. Anthropocene | May 21, 2020

Janelle Ayres discovers that infections in the gut can impact maternal instincts in mice. The Irish Times | February 4, 2021

Liangbing Hu creates a transparent wood-based bioplastic that is stronger and lighter than glass. New Scientist | January 27, 2021 SciTechDaily | March 26, 2021 Plastics Today | March 29, 2021

Ian Chapman takes the first steps to achieve a nuclear fusion facility in the United Kingdom. BBC News | October 29, 2020 New Scientist | December 2, 2020

Netta Engelhardt uncovers new clues as to how gravity works at a subatomic level, potentially upsetting Stephen Hawking’s theories of black holes. Symmetry Magazine | March 23, 2021

Kirsty Penkman develops methods to more accurately date archaeological samples using amino acid racemization. Chemistry World | March 5, 2020 Current World Archaeology | May 27, 2020

Shirley Meng creates a new sodium-ion conductor for high-performance batteries. SciTechDaily | February 23, 2021

Paul Chirik designs and synthesizes a new plastic that can be more easily recycled than conventional plastics. SciTechDaily | January 26, 2021 Plastics Today | February 10, 2021

Blavatnik Science Scholars Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blavatnik Scholars are rising to the challenge as society calls on scientists to help tackle this virus, from predicting and detecting disease

spread to identifying effective treatments and researching new vaccine technologies.

Pardis Sabeti uses genetic sequencing to track the spread of COVID-19 and develops models to predict the most sensitive and accurate detection methods.

MIT News | April 29, 2020 The Washington Post | October 13, 2020

Feng Zhang develops an app to track hotspots and creates the first CRISPR-based test for COVID-19.

CNBC | April 8, 2020 The New York Times | May 5, 2020

Nevan Krogan discovers existing drugs that could be used to treat COVID-19. The New York Times | March 22, 2020

San Francisco Chronicle | April 30, 2020

Alison Galvani identifies the most effective public health measures, including testing, isolation, and vaccination, for stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Medical Xpress | April 6, 2020 The New York Times | November 5, 2020

Philipp Kukura develops mass photometry technology that is now being used to study interactions between the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the ACE2 receptor.

Rob Knight and Eugene Yeo build a platform for citizen scientists to collect COVID-19 samples to rapidly understand the virus’ spread and risk.

UC San Diego News | April 9, 2020 ScienceDaily | March 2, 2021

Yi Cui identifies methods for disinfecting N95 facial masks without reducing their effectiveness. The Stanford Daily | March 31, 2020

Chemical & Engineering News | June 24, 2020

Moran Bercovici develops a microfluidic technique to sift particles of different sizes that could create a test for COVID-19 that is faster and more accurate than PCR testing.

The Jerusalem Post | May 7, 2020

Julius Lucks tracks viral content in sewage to rapidly identify COVID-19 hotspots. Chicago Tribune | November 17, 2020

Scientific American | December 1, 2020

“If it works, it really does offer a path to much more compact fusion power plants, in a much more cost-competitive way to

delivering fusion here on Earth.”

IAN CHAPMAN2020 BLAVATNIK AWARDS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FINALIST ON

THE IMPACT OF HIS TEAM’S EXPERIMENTAL FUSION GENERATORSPEAKING TO BBC NEWS | OCTOBER 29, 2020

ABOVE: Blavatnik Regional Awards Winner Alison

Galvani and Blavatnik National Awards Finalist Pardis Sabeti have been

constant resources throughout the COVID-19

pandemic. Galvani (top) participates in a public health roundtable with

2020 US presidential candidate Senator Bernie

Sanders (Photographer: Erin Kirkland/Bloomberg

via Getty Images) and Sabeti (bottom) tracks dis-ease spread us ing genetic sequencing to identify the

most effective detection and treatment methods.

19

www.facebook.com/blavatnikawards @BlavatnikAwards www.blavatnikawards.org

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