News Release

Fred H. Gage receives the ISSCR Achievement Award

Grant and Award Announcement

International Society for Stem Cell Research

Skokie, IL--The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) will award its inaugural Achievement Award to Fred H. Gage, Ph.D., president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease in Salk's Laboratory of Genetics, La Jolla, Calif. The prize recognizes the transformative body of work of an investigator that has had a major impact on the field of stem cell research or regenerative medicine. The Award will be presented on 27 June during the Reprogramming and Regeneration Plenary from 12:30 - 2:45 p.m. at ISSCR 2020 in Boston, Mass., U.S., the world's leading meeting of global innovators in stem cell science and health.

Dr. Gage's influential work in the fields of stem cell biology, neuroscience, and human evolution have resulted in groundbreaking discoveries that have broad implications for human health and encompassing advances that may lead to treatments for devastating diseases including Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and mental health disorders.

Some of Dr. Gage's most notable scientific accomplishments include work using stem cell technologies that revealed that neurons generated from skin cells of individuals with schizophrenia are dysfunctional in early developmental stages. He applied this approach to pave new ways to detect and possibly treat the mental health disease sooner. Dr. Gage and his colleagues also discovered that neurons are generated in the brain throughout life, and that exercise can increase the brain's ability to generate more new neurons. Further, Dr. Gage and collaborators discovered that the genomic structures of individual neurons differ from each other more than was expected, which provides a model to understand evolution and disease.

"The Society is so pleased to recognize the career and significant accomplishments of Rusty Gage," said Deepak Srivastava, ISSCR President. "Not only has Dr. Gage's vast body of work throughout the last 35 years resulted in a number of seminal findings in the fields of stem cells and neuroscience, he has given enormously to the community by serving as ISSCR president, volunteered with numerous disease foundations, and mentored countless scientists who are now making their own important discoveries. I am honored to recognized Dr. Gage's pioneering work and to celebrate his extensive scientific achievements, commitment to service, and forward-thinking leadership."

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Award-winner biographies and photos are available upon request, as are interviews with ISSCR President Deepak Srivastava.

About the International Society for Stem Cell Research

With nearly 4,000 members from more than 60 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.

Additional information about stem cell science is available at A Closer Look at Stem Cells, an initiative of the Society to inform the public about stem cell research and its potential to improve human health.


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