Philip J. Kranzusch, Ph.D., Professor of Cancer Immunology and Virology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was one of three scientists awarded top honors at the 2025 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists, a significant prize for early-career researchers. Presented by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences, the awards recognize exceptional scientific achievement and innovation by U.S.-based researchers aged 42 and younger. The announcement was made last night at an awards ceremony in New York City.
This year's Laureates were selected from a competitive pool of 310 nominees representing 161 academic and research institutions across 42 states. Eighteen Finalists emerged from this national search, and three were named Laureates by an independent jury of leading scientists. Each Laureate will receive an unrestricted award of $250,000, the world's largest unrestricted science prize.
"We are proud to recognize the 2025 Laureates for their significant contributions to science and their remarkable breakthroughs early in their scientific careers. This award is designed to empower them with the freedom to continue to explore bold ideas, driving scientific innovation forward," said Len Blavatnik, Founder of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation.
Kranzusch, the Life Science Laureate, was recognized for discovering that human innate immunity evolved from ancient pathways in bacteria, explaining the molecular basis for how human cells defend against infections and cancer. Kranzusch is researching how human cells detect infection or cancer, thus deciding when to trigger an immune response-an essential function for diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. Kranzusch has uncovered that key components of human immunity, including those targeted by vaccines and in cancer immunotherapy, evolved from ancient bacterial defenses against viruses. By reshaping fundamental understanding of immune pathways, this work opens new avenues for therapies that harness the body's natural defenses against infections, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.
"The Blavatnik Award is an incredible honor for our lab's discovery of the origins of human innate immunity," said Kranzusch. "We are excited to build on this new foundation to define universal rules that control immune signaling across all kingdoms of life."
"I am immensely proud to celebrate Philip Kranzusch's recognition by the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, and I'm grateful to the Blavatnik Family Foundation," said Dr. Benjamin L. Ebert, president and CEO of Dana-Farber. "This honor highlights Philip's groundbreaking work in immunology, and reflects the spirit of innovation that drives Dana-Farber researchers."
