Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science

Nominations for the 2021 Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science are now closed.

About the Vanderbilt Prize:

Vanderbilt Prize winners are women who have made significant contributions to the science of medicine. At Vanderbilt, we believe that for society to benefit from biomedical research, we must engage women in basic and clinical investigation, nurture their careers, and attract the most capable individuals. We created the Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science to honor and recognize a woman scientist of national reputation who has a stellar record of research accomplishments and is known for her mentorship of women in science. The Vanderbilt Prize winner also nurtures the career, research, and studies of a promising woman beginning her PhD studies at Vanderbilt, the Vanderbilt Prize Student Scholar. The prize recipient gives a lecture at Vanderbilt, will serve as a mentor to the Vanderbilt Prize Scholar, and receives an honorarium.

Eligibility:

Nominees for the Vanderbilt Prize must be women scientists in any area of basic or clinical research or clinical practice. The nominee must have a national reputation, a stellar record of research accomplishments, and must be an active mentor of other women in science. We encourage nominators to consider women of underrepresented populations when selecting a nominee.

Nomination Process:

There is no limit to the number of qualified women scientists an institution may nominate. A complete nomination packet must include the following, as a single pdf, in the order listed below:

Completed nomination form
A letter of nomination from the nominee’s department chair or dean
One letter of recommendation from a distinguished peer in basic or clinical research or in clinical practice
Nominee’s complete CV

Vanderbilt Prize Recipients
2020
	Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D. Winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry Li Ka Shing Chancellor's Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley Executive Director, Innovative Genomics Institute Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
2019
	Christine Seidman, M.D. Thomas W. Smith Professor in Medicine and Genetics, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital Senior Associate, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Seidman presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on September 12, 2019.
2018
	Angelika Amon, Ph.D. Kathleen and Curtis Marble Professor in Cancer Research and Professor of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Member, MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Amon presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on January 31, 2019.
2017
	Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D. J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Director, University of Rochester Center for RNA Biology Chair, University of Rochester Graduate Women in Science Dr. Maquat presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on November 29, 2018.
2016
	Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D. Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor of the Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University Investigator Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Fuchs presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on March 30, 2017.
2015
	Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D. Director, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital Professor, Baylor College of Medicine Investigator Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Zoghbi presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on April 21, 2016.
2014
	Susan Lindquist, Ph.D. Professor of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Member, Whitehead Institute Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Lindquist presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on November 19, 2015.
2013
	Laurie Glimcher, M.D. Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College Provost for Medical Affairs, Cornell University Dr. Glimcher presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on May 1, 2014.
2012
	Joan A. Steitz, Ph.D. Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Dr. Steitz presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on May 2, 2013.
2011
	Titia de Lange, Ph.D. Leon Hess Professor and Head of the Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, American Cancer Society Research Director, Anderson Center for Cancer Research, Rockefeller University, New York Dr. de Lange presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on February 23, 2012.
2010
	Nancy Andrews, M.D., Ph.D. Dean, Duke University School of Medicine Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Duke University School of Medicine Professor of Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine Dr. Andrews presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on March 31, 2011.
2009
	Susan Taylor, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego Dr. Taylor presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on February 18, 2010.
2008
	Ann Graybiel, Ph.D. Walter A Rosenblith Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Dr. Graybiel presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on October 30, 2008.
2007
	Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D. Winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Medicine Morris Herzstein Endowed Professor in Biology & Physiology, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco Dr. Blackburn presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on January 10, 2008.
2006
	Nancy Andreasen M.D., Ph.D. Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa Dr. Andreasen presented a Discovery Lecture and accepted the Vanderbilt Prize on September 28, 2006.