The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance is dedicated to playing a catalytic role in accelerating cures for cancer by enabling the pursuit of the most innovative and advanced cancer research and by facilitating collaborations between science and business.
The Prize for young investigators provides early-stage funding opportunities to New York scientists with innovative ideas in cancer research. The program surrounding the Prize is a catalyst in bridging the gap between the academic scientific community and the business community.
KARUNA GANESH, MD, PHD
RICHARD HITE, PHD
NIKHIL JOSHI, PHD
PIRO LITO, MD, PHD
MICHAEL PACOLD, MD, PHD
MARIA SOLEDAD SOSA, PHD
SIYUAN (STEVEN) WANG, PHD
BUSINESS WIRE / THE PERSHING SQUARE FOUNDATION – The Pershing Square Foundation today announced the launch of the MIND (“Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery”) Prize. With the launch of the Prize, The Foundation strives to change the paradigm of neuroscience research by creating a community of next-frontier thinkers who can uncover a deeper understanding of the brain and cognition. Breakthroughs in basic scientific and translational research will yield critical tools for and knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, which affect millions of people worldwide. The Prize will bring together the most talented early-to-mid-career investigators across scientific fields with creative and experimental ideas to solve problems that will transform the current understanding of the brain and its impact on human health.
The MIND Prize will catalyze novel interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work by facilitating collaborations across academic departments and institutions and amongst the academic, biomedical industry, philanthropic, and business communities. These breakthroughs in basic, fundamental research will help augment the toolkit for, and knowledge of, neurodegenerative and neurocognitive disorders. Prize winners will each receive $750,000, distributed $250,000 per year for three years.
On Wednesday, June 8 the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance held its 2022 Prize Dinner at Bar65 at the Rainbow Room in New York, awarding its 2022 Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators in Cancer Research to seven early-career pioneers in cancer research in the greater New York City area.
The evening began with cocktails on the terrace, followed by a seated dinner. To start the dinner, Olivia Tournay Flatto, PhD, President of The Pershing Square Foundation and Co-founder and Executive Director of the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance gave introductory remarks. The special guest speaker for the evening was Scientific Review Council Member Ali Brivanlou, PhD, Robert & Harriet Heilbrunn Professor at The Rockefeller University, who gave a fascinating presentation on his work with embryonic stem cells, the innovations in this space, and the ethical considerations, followed by a provocative and stimulating Q&A session. After the entrée, Scientific Review Council Member Dave Tuveson, MD, PhD, Roy J. Zuckerberg Professor of Cancer Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, introduced the seven Pershing Square Sohn Prize winners with a special video and welcomed The Pershing Square Foundation Co-Trustees William Ackman and Neri Oxman to lead the award ceremony. Prize Advisory Board 2022 Chair Jim Rothman, PhD, Sterling Professor of Cell Biology and Professor of Chemistry at Yale School of Medicine, gave concluding remarks.
Bill Ackman, Co-Founder. The Pershing Square Foundation