Prestigious Blavatnik Awards granted to Israeli scientists, all from the Weizmann Institute

Three young scientists – one woman and two men – at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot will each be awarded $100,000 for their groundbreaking scientific research. The 2024 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel will be conferred at a ceremony held at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Tel Aviv-Jaffa in June.

The Blavatnik Awards recognize outstanding, innovative scientists at the early stages of their careers for both their extraordinary achievements and their promise for future discoveries. Researchers aged 42 and younger receive the prizes for their groundbreaking work in the fields of life sciences, chemical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering.

The Blavatnik Awards in Israel have international counterparts: the Blavatnik National Awards and Blavatnik Regional Awards in the US and the Blavatnik Awards in the UK.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and the New York Academy of Sciences announced on Tuesday the names of the three laureates. They are:

Prof. Schraga Schwartz (Life Sciences) is recognized for developing groundbreaking analytical methods to locate and quantify chemical changes in RNA. His breakthroughs in understanding RNA modifications hold promise for treating genetic diseases and expanding the role of RNA editing beyond vaccine development.

Dr. Moran Shalev-Benami (Chemical Sciences) is recognized for the discovery of key sensing and signaling mechanisms in the brain that can be directly translated into precision medicine. Her work informs the development of new therapeutics to treat appetite disorders and explores the use of light to modify brain activity in living organisms.

Prof. Thomas Vidick (Physical Sciences and Engineering) is recognized for pioneering research exploring how quantum principles can be used to create more powerful computers. His research represents a significant milestone in our quest to understand the power and limitations of quantum computing and will advance the security of digital communications.

BLAVATNIK AWARDS SCHOLARS are driving economic growth by embarking on new scientific trajectories to pursue high-risk, high-reward scientific research. To date, Blavatnik Awards honorees have founded 72 companies, many of which are now publicly traded on major global stock exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ Stock Market. With recognition from the Blavatnik Awards, 30% of past honorees have obtained a patent or filed a patent application, 75% have started a new research direction, and 11% have started a new collaboration with another Blavatnik Awards honoree.

These scientists exemplify Israeli technological and scientific prowess

The 2024 laureates join young scientists from across Israel who have been honored by the Blavatnik Awards since they were launched in 2017. In addition, the laureates become part of the international Blavatnik Science Scholars community, whose recipients will have been awarded prizes totaling US$17.2 million by the close of 2024.

“Israel has always been a powerhouse of scientific breakthroughs and technological innovation,” said Len Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries and head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. “These exceptional scientists demonstrate the enormous impact that Israeli innovation, creativity, and discovery have on shaping the future and are outstanding examples of the Israeli spirit and resilience. We are proud to honor them and look forward to their future work.”

Prof. Nicholas B. Dirks, president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences, said, “We congratulate the Weizmann Institute of Science, whose faculty received all three Blavatnik Awards this year. I’m sure that Prof. Chaim Weizmann, who not only founded the Weizmann Institute but was the first president of Israel and a scientist himself, would have been very proud. We look forward to following the future transformative scientific work of this year’s laureates.”

Prof. David Harel, president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, said, “Today we recognize the exceptional achievements of the very best of young Israeli scientists. This is doubly important at the present time, with Israel going through one of its worst periods, exacerbated by unprecedented obstacles for Israel’s science. We are especially grateful to the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences for our continued partnership in this wonderful endeavor.

“Israel’s positioning at the forefront of global science, merit of scholarship, and economic stability are reliant upon the accomplishments and excellence of its scientists. We are proud to honor this year’s Blavatnik Awards laureates, and we celebrate their innovative breakthroughs with confidence in the far-reaching, positive impact of their achievements on society at large.”

During the nomination period for the awards, 42 nominations were received from eight Israeli universities. Three distinguished juries, composed of leading scientists representing the three disciplinary categories and led by Israeli academy members, selected this year’s laureates.