Shaw Prize for Life Science and Medicine: Winners by Year

Award years

• 2026

  • Anne Dejean, Chen Zhu, Hugues de Thé

    For the discovery of the molecular and cellular bases of acute promyelocytic leukemia and the pioneering of a synergistic targeted therapy that transformed the disease from one of the most deadly to one of the most curable cancers.

• 2025

  • Wolfgang Baumeister

    For his pioneering development and use of cryogenic-electron tomography (cryo-ET), an imaging technique that enables three-dimensional visualisation of biological samples, including proteins, macromolecular complexes, and cellular compartments as they exist in their natural cellular settings.

• 2024

  • Stuart H. Orkin, Swee Lay Thein

    For their discovery of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch, making possible a revolutionary and highly effective genome-editing therapy for sickle cell anemia and β thalassemia, devastating blood diseases that affect millions of people worldwide.

• 2023

  • Eva Nogales, Patrick Cramer

    For pioneering structural biology that enabled visualisation, at the level of individual atoms, of the protein machines responsible for gene transcription, one of life's fundamental processes. They revealed the mechanism underlying each step in gene transcription, how proper gene transcription promotes health, and how dysregulation causes disease.

• 2022

  • Michael J. Welsh, Paul Negulescu

    For landmark discoveries of the molecular, biochemical, and functional defects underlying cystic fibrosis and the identification and development of medicines that reverse those defects and can treat most people affected by this disorder. Together, these discoveries and medicines are alleviating human suffering and saving lives.

• 2021

  • Scott D. Emr

    For the landmark discovery of the ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport) pathway, which is essential in diverse processes involving membrane biology, including cell division, cell-surface receptor regulation, viral dissemination, and nerve axon pruning. These processes are central to life, health and disease.

• 2020

  • Georg Nagel, Gero Miesenböck, Peter Hegemann

    For the development of optogenetics, a technology that has revolutionized neuroscience.

• 2019

  • Maria Jasin

    For her work showing that localized double strand breaks in DNA stimulate recombination in mammalian cells. This seminal work was essential for and led directly to the tools enabling editing at specific sites in mammalian genomes.

• 2018

  • Mary-Claire King

    For her mapping the first breast cancer gene. Using mathematical modeling, King predicted and then demonstrated that breast cancer can be caused by a single gene. She mapped the gene which facilitated its cloning and has saved thousands of lives.

• 2017

  • Ian R. Gibbons, Ronald Vale

    For their discovery of microtubule-associated motor proteins: engines that power cellular and intracellular movements essential to the growth, division, and survival of human cells.

• 2016

  • Adrian Bird, Huda Zoghbi

    For their discovery of the genes and the encoded proteins that recognize one chemical modification of the DNA of chromosomes that influences gene control as the basis of the developmental disorder Rett syndrome.

• 2015

  • Bonnie L. Bassler, Everett Peter Greenberg

    For elucidating the molecular mechanism of quorum sensing, a process whereby bacteria communicate with each other and which offers innovative ways to interfere with bacterial pathogens or to modulate the microbiome for health applications.

• 2014

  • Kazutoshi Mori, Peter Walter

    For their discovery of the Unfolded Protein Response of the endoplasmic reticulum, a cell signalling pathway that controls organelle homeostasis and quality of protein export in eukaryotic cells.

• 2013

  • Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, Michael W. Young

    For their discovery of molecular mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms.

• 2012

  • Arthur L. Horwich, Franz-Ulrich Hartl

    For their contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of protein folding. Proper protein folding is essential for many cellular functions.

• 2011

  • Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann, Ruslan M. Medzhitov

    For their discovery of the molecular mechanism of innate immunity, the first line of defense against pathogens.

• 2010

  • David Julius

    For his seminal discoveries of molecular mechanisms by which the skin senses painful stimuli and temperature and produces pain hypersensitivity.

• 2009

  • Douglas L. Coleman, Jeffrey M. Friedman

    For their work leading to the discovery of leptin, a hormone that regulates food intake and body weight.

• 2008

  • Ian Wilmut, Keith H. S. Campbell, Shinya Yamanaka

    For their recent pivotal innovations in reversing the process of cell differentiation in mammals, a phenomenon which advances our knowledge of developmental biology and holds great promise for the treatment of human diseases and improvements in agriculture practices.

• 2007

  • Robert J. Lefkowitz

    For his relentless elucidation of the major receptor system that mediates the response of cells and organs to drugs and hormones.

• 2006

  • Xiaodong Wang

    For his discovery of the biochemical basis of programmed cell death, a vital process that balances cell birth and defends against cancer.

• 2005

  • Michael Berridge

    For his discoveries on calcium signalling in the regulation of cellular activity.

• 2004

  • Herbert W. Boyer, Stanley N. Cohen

    For their discoveries on DNA cloning and genetic engineering.

  • Richard Doll

    For his contribution to modern cancer epidemiology.

  • Yuet Wai Kan

    For his discoveries on DNA polymorphism and its influence on human genetics.