Weissman, Yamanaka and Schöler Receive Prestigious Award from German Scientific Foundation

Deerfield, IL USA, November 14, 2008—In a ceremony today ISSCR President-Elect Irving L. Weissman (USA), Board Member Shinya Yamanaka (Japan) and Member Hans Schöler (Germany) were awarded the prestigious Robert Koch Prize by the Robert Koch Foundation. The International Society for Stem Cell Research congratulates them for earning this honor.

The Koch Prize is awarded for major advances in biomedical sciences, particularly in the fields of microbiology and immunology. It is considered one of the most important recognitions for scientists; since 1977, five Koch Prize recipients have been awarded the Nobel Prize.

“We are very pleased that Drs. Weissman, Yamanaka and Schöler have been selected for this honor. Each of these scientists has made important advances in biomedical science and we are gratified to see their work recognized by the Koch Foundation,” said ISSCR President Fiona Watt.

The Robert Koch Foundation was founded in 1907 by Nobel Prize winning scientist Robert Koch, who discovered the tuberculosis bacterium in 1882. The Foundation promotes scientific work financially and through public recognition, especially of fundamental research into infectious disease, immunology and measures to solve medical and hygienic problems in Third World countries.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is an independent, nonprofit membership organization established to promote and foster the exchange and dissemination of information and ideas relating to stem cells, to encourage the general field of research involving stem cells and to promote professional and public education in all areas of stem cell research and application.

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Posted November 14, 2008