Feng Zhang Receives 2016 New York Stem Cell Foundation – Robertson Stem Cell Prize

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) announced today that Feng
Zhang, PhD, is the 2016 recipient of the NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell
Prize for his pioneering advances to edit human and plant genomes using
CRISPR-Cas9.

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Dr. Feng Zhang, photo credit, The New York Stem Cell Foundation (Photo: Business Wire)

“We are particularly pleased to recognize Feng with the NYSCF –
Robertson Stem Cell Prize,” explained Susan L. Solomon, CEO and
Co-founder of NYSCF. “A 2014 NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Investigator
and member of our outstanding Innovator community, his work represents a
new frontier in research that has already dramatically changed the
scientific and medical landscape, ushering in new treatments and
therapies that have never before been possible.”

Dr. Zhang is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Biological
Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Core
Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, an Investigator at the
McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, and the W.M. Keck Career
Development Professor in Biomedical Engineering in the Departments of
Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biological Engineering at MIT.

His development of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system and seminal 2013 Science
paper where he described successful gene editing using the technique in
human cells opened an entirely new arm of scientific research and
inquiry. Critically, the CRISPR-Cas9 system and later advances, also
developed by Zhang, are easy to execute with almost endless possibility
for new research enabling scientists to change, delete and replace any
gene of any animal. This system has unquestionably accelerated research
around the world that will benefit human health.

“It is really an honor for me and everyone in my team to be recognized
for the work we are doing, and I am excited to apply the genome editing
tools that we have developed to study complex human diseases,” said Dr.
Zhang. “This prize will further our work to develop and apply molecular
tools to identify genetic variants involved in disease phenotypes and
refining these tools for therapeutic use.”

Previously, Dr. Zhang has received numerous awards and honors, including
the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, the Popular Science Brilliant 10
Award, named one of Nature’s “10 people who mattered in 2013,”
The Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award, and recently, the
Canada Gairdner International Award and the Tang Prize.

“Gene editing using RNA guided endonucleases has opened entirely new
frontiers for regenerative medicine, and Dr. Zhang’s pioneering work in
this area has ignited a new era of discovery that will transform the way
we study and treat human disease,” said Amy Wagers, PhD, 2013 NYSCF –
Robertson Stem Cell Prize recipient and NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell
Investigator Awards Jury member from Harvard University. “I am so happy
to see him recognized by the 2016 NYSCF – Roberson Stem Cell Prize,
acknowledging the profound impact of his innovation and insight for
scientists and patients around the globe.”

The NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize has been awarded annually since
2011 to an outstanding young stem cell scientist in recognition of
significant and path breaking translational stem cell research. All
NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize recipients receive $200,000 to be used
for research purposes at their discretion.

Previous recipients of the Robertson Prize include:

• 2015 – Franziska Michor, PhD, Professor of Computational
  Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and in the Department of
  Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, for
  her research using quantitative approaches to optimize cancer
  therapies.
• 2014 – Marius Wernig, PhD, Associate Professor in the
  Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and the
  Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine, for
  his research directly converting skin cells into functional neurons.
• 2013 – Amy Wagers, PhD, Professor at Harvard University,
  for her work on blood and muscle stem cells.
• 2012 – Kazutoshi Takahashi, PhD, Junior Associate
  Professor, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto
  University, for his work founding the field of iPS cell research in
  the laboratory of Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, 2012 Nobel Prize Laureate in
  Medicine.
• 2011 – Peter Coffey, DPhil, Director to the London
  Project to Cure Blindness at University College London, for his
  research on using embryonic stem cells to cure age-related macular
  degeneration.

About The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute

The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute is an
independent organization accelerating cures and better treatments for
patients through stem cell research. The NYSCF global community includes
over 140 researchers at leading institutions worldwide, including the
NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellows, the NYSCF – Robertson Investigators, the
NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize Recipients, and NYSCF Research
Institute scientists and engineers. The NYSCF Research Institute employs
over 45 researchers in New York, and is an acknowledged world leader in
stem cell research and in developing pioneering stem cell technologies,
including the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array^TM. NYSCF focuses
on translational research in a model designed to overcome the barriers
that slow discovery and replace silos with collaboration. For more
information, visit www.nyscf.org

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