Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:

I am delighted to share the news that HMS researcher Joel Habener is one of five scientists awarded the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. Joel and his fellow recipients have been recognized for their transformative discoveries related to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1 — findings that have dramatically improved the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Joel shares this honor with Daniel Drucker, senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and professor of medicine at the University of Toronto; Jens Juul Holst, professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, chief scientific advisor at Novo Nordisk; and Svetlana Mojsov, research associate professor at The Rockefeller University.

A professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Joel’s early scientific work focused on the hormone glucagon, which triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream when the body needs more sugar as fuel. In the process of conducting basic, curiosity-driven research in anglerfish, Joel cloned the gene that codes for glucagon and somatostatin — another hormone produced by the pancreas — and discovered that the gene he cloned also encodes a previously unknown molecule, GLP-1.

Habener, Drucker, Mojsov, and Holst collectively elucidated the biology and mechanism of GLP-1 and its role in enhancing the release of insulin. Their findings, together with Knudsen’s medicinal chemistry efforts, have resulted in the development of drugs that mimic GLP-1’s function in the body, enabling better control of blood sugar and weight loss.

Joel’s outstanding contributions demonstrate the power of basic science and serve as an inspiring reminder that investments in fundamental research can lead to revolutionary advancements in human health.

Joel’s seminal work has earned him multiple accolades, including the 2020 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize and the 2024 Lasker Award. Please join me in congratulating Joel and his co-winners on their remarkable achievements.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University