Duke University's Blake Wilson has been awarded the 2026 Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology for his contributions to the development of the cochlear implant.
"I am overjoyed to be among the recipients of the 2026 Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology," said Wilson, director of the Duke Hearing Center and an adjunct professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine .
"Regaining highly useful hearing or hearing for the first time is described as a miracle by many of the users and their families. The result, which a chorus of experts said would be impossible, is of course deeply gratifying to the developers - each of whom is a friend and each of whom I admire greatly."
The Merkin Prize, administered by the Broad Institute, recognizes novel technologies that have improved human health. Wilson is among five scientists and engineers named 2026 Laureates for their pioneering work developing the technology that has brought hearing to more than a million deaf and nearly deaf people around the world, one of the most impactful health breakthroughs developed at Duke .
"Through his leadership and innovation, Blake Wilson has helped translate groundbreaking science into one of the most effective clinical interventions in modern medicine," said Dr. Mary Klotman , executive vice president for Health Affairs of Duke University and dean of the School of Medicine. "At Duke, this achievement reflects the power of a research-intensive academic medical center, where interdisciplinary collaboration drives advances that improve patient care."
Wilson has been affiliated with Duke his entire adult life, completing his undergraduate engineering degree at the university in 1974 and a Ph.D. in 2015. Wilson co-founded the Duke Cochlear Implant Program in 1984, holds appointments with the Pratt School of Engineering , and is an affiliate of the Duke Global Health Institute and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences .
"The cochlear implant would not exist today if it were not for the truly interdisciplinary efforts of experts in signal processing, surgery, neuroscience and electrical engineering," said Jerome Lynch , dean of the Pratt School of Engineering. "Its story embodies the spirit of the Merkin Prize - as does Blake Wilson, whose research and leadership continues to inspire generations of innovators here at Duke."
Wilson's specific contribution focused on improving the signal processing of the implant. Cochlear implants have multiple electrodes squeezed close together, which can interfere with each other when firing at the same time.
Working at Duke and what is now RTI International, Wilson and his team developed a pulsing method called continuous interleaved sampling that staggered the electrical signals to eliminate the interference - markedly cleaning up and clarifying the sound received by the patient.
Wilson, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, has received many other high honors, including the 2013 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the 2015 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize, the 2024 IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology, and the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.
Wilson continues his work by leading the Lancet Commission on Hearing Loss, a multidisciplinary group of experts focused on reducing the global burden of hearing loss and ensuring access to effective hearing care.
