The Michael Sela Prize
in Biomedical Sciences

2026

About the Prize

Prof. Michael Sela was a trailblazer in biomedical research in Israel and an international leader in the fields of immunology and drug discovery. In 2026, the Weizmann Institute of Science inaugurated the Michael Sela Prize in Biomedical Sciences to commemorate his enduring legacy and visionary contributions to science.

Conferred annually, the prize recognizes exceptional scientific achievement and the transformative impact of up to three researchers whose work has redefined the boundaries of biomedical knowledge. Honorees are selected for discoveries that are both innovative in approach and far-reaching in impact, shaping the future of human health. The Prize is open to researchers worldwide, underscoring the Institute’s commitment to scientific excellence without borders and to fostering a global community of inquiry, discovery, and progress. The prize is generously funded by Dr. Avraham and Michal Kadar through the Kadar Foundation.

Nominations and Selection Committee

Nominations for the Michael Sela Prize in Biomedical Sciences are submitted by peers in response to an annual open call.

Submissions are evaluated by an independent selection committee composed of leading figures in the field, both from the Weizmann Institute and the international biomedical community. Members of the committee are appointed by the President of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Each year a call for submissions will be announced.

Award and Recognition

Winners of the Michael Sela Prize in Biomedical Sciences receive a total cash award of $360,000, to be shared among the selected laureates.

The Prize will be presented at a festive ceremony held during the annual Michael Sela Symposium on Biomedical Sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science in May of every year. Receiving the prize is conditional on participation in the ceremony and the symposium. The next ceremony and symposium are planned for May 12, 2026.

Award and Recognition

Winners of the Michael Sela Prize in Biomedical Sciences receive a total cash award of $360,000, to be shared among the selected laureates.

The Prize will be presented at a festive ceremony held during the annual Michael Sela Symposium on Biomedical Sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science in May of every year. Receiving the prize is conditional on participation in the ceremony and the symposium. The next ceremony and symposium are planned for May 12, 2026.

2026 Winners

Prof. Francis Collins

for his leadership of the Human Genome Project and groundbreaking discoveries in human genetics. 

Prof. Francis Collins

Prof. Francis S. Collins is a physician-geneticist whose scientific leadership has profoundly shaped genetics, genomics, and public health policy over the past four decades. He led the international Human Genome Project to its historic completion in 2003 and served as Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2009 to 2021, spearheading major initiatives in precision medicine, neuroscience, and responses to public health crises, including COVID-19. His research uncovered key genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, Huntington's disease, type 2 diabetes, progeria and other conditions.
A committed advocate for dialogue between science and faith, Prof. Collins is also a bestselling author, most recently of The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust (2024). He received a PhD in physical chemistry from Yale (1974) and an MD from the University of North Carolina (1977). His numerous honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2007), the National Medal of Science (2009), and the Templeton Prize (2020), which acknowledged his efforts to bridge science and spirituality.
 

Prof. Lee Hood

for his seminal work in inventing foundational biotechnologies and advancing systems and predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory medicine.

Prof. Lee Hood

Prof. Leroy (Lee) Hood is a pioneering biologist and biotech innovator whose work has transformed biomedical research. He co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in 2000, serving as its president until 2017, and currently, as a Professor. He is the CEO of Phenome Health, a nonprofit advancing personalized, preventive medicine. He also has an appointment as Professor and Chief Innovation Officer at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.  Prof. Hood played a leading role in developing automated DNA sequencers and synthesizers—technologies that enabled the Human Genome Project—and contributed foundational insights into antibody diversity.
Prof. Hood earned his MD from Johns Hopkins University (1964) and a PhD in biochemistry from Caltech (1968), where he later served as Chair of Biology. In 1992, he founded the first academic department to integrate biology, engineering, and computation at the University of Washington. One of only 20 scientists elected to all three U.S. National Academies—Science, Engineering, and Medicine—he has co-founded more than a dozen biotech companies, including Amgen, Applied Biosystems, and Arivale. His many accolades include the Lasker Award (1987), Kyoto Prize (2002), and the National Medal of Science (2011).
 

Casey Atkins Photography, courtesy of Broad Institute
Casey Atkins Photography, courtesy of Broad Institute

Prof. Eric S. Lander

for his seminal work in shaping modern biology by bringing the power of computational and quantitative thinking and large-scale biological data to the forefront of biomedical discovery.

Prof. Eric S. Lander

Prof. Eric S. Lander is a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician widely recognized for his landmark contributions to genomics, biomedicine, and science policy. A principal leader of the international Human Genome Project, he also founded and led the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a pioneering center for collaborative biomedical research. 
Prof. Lander has developed foundational methods for mapping the genetic basis of complex diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. His research has also advanced understanding of human genetic variation, genome regulation, and 3D genome architecture.
From 2021 to 2022, he served as Science Advisor to President Biden and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In 2022, he launched Science for America, focused on solutions to urgent challenges in climate, energy, health, and STEM education. 
He holds a PhD in mathematics from Oxford University (1980) and is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. His honors include the MacArthur Fellowship (1987), the Gairdner Award (2002), the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2013), the Dan David Prize (2015), and numerous others.
 

Institute Professor
Michael Sela

Institute Professor
Michael Sela
(1924-2022)

Sixth President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, pioneering immunologist, and architect of biomedical research in Israel

Prof. Michael Sela was a towering figure in Israeli science and a global leader in immunology and drug discovery. His scientific achievements in biomedical research, institutional leadership, and enduring influence are imprinted across the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he spent more than seven decades of his life. 

Born in Poland, Sela immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1941. He studied protein chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received his PhD in in 1954, with part of his research carried out at the Weizmann Institute. Joining the Institute's faculty in 1950, he played a formative role in shaping its scientific direction—founding and heading the Department of Chemical

Immunology, serving as Dean of the Faculty of Biology and Vice President, and ultimately leading the Institute as its President from 1975 to 1985. 

He remained an active member of its governing bodies for nearly four decades thereafter. Prof. Sela’s scientific work led to influential breakthroughs in modern medicine. He co-developed (with Prof. Ruth Arnon and Dr. Dvora Teitelbaum) the multiple sclerosis therapy Copaxone and was a moving force behind the development of three blockbuster cancer drugs—Erbitux, Vectibix, and Portrazza, which have improved the lives of millions worldwide. Yet he considered his most meaningful work to be his basic research on the genetic control of the immune response— work that laid the foundation for new fields in immunology and advanced the scientific understanding of immune function at the molecular level. 

A recipient of numerous honors, including the Israel Prize (1959) and the Wolf Prize in Medicine (1998), Prof. Sela was a passionate advocate for curiosity-driven science. He established the Yeda-Sela Fund to support basic research projects unlikely to receive conventional funding. Prof. Sela believed deeply in excellence not only in science but across all domains of culture, and had a lifelong passion for the arts, from music and dance to literature and the visual arts. Together with his wife Sara, he held leadership roles with the Batsheva Dance Company, the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, and the music academies in Jerusalem and Ramat HaSharon. 

His commitment to civic life was reflected in his service as a founding member of the Yitzhak Rabin Center and involvement with the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. The Michael Sela Auditorium, inaugurated in 2019, stands as a tribute to his lifelong devotion to excellence in science and the humanities. Prof. Michael Sela approached life with intellectual curiosity and creative breadth, leaving the wider scientific community a rich and enduring legacy. His contributions transformed immunological research worldwide and helped shape generations of scientists and students. His vision and leadership remain a lasting source of inspiration.

Ceremony & Symposia Details

Date
Location
Michael Sela Auditorium
Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot
Registration