Feng Zhang Receives 2016 NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize
News Press ReleaseNYSCF 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.
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.
Dr. Zhang holds multiple positions at MIT, is a Core Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and is a 2014 NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Investigator.
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.