Christopher A. Walsh, the Bullard Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, has been named one of four recipients of this year’s Kavli Prize in Neuroscience.
Awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, the Kavli Prize honors scientists for transformative breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. Every other year, three $1 million prizes are awarded in each of the three fields.
“We honor the 2022 Kavli Prize Laureates for their transformative contributions to science and society,” said Lise Øvreås, president of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
“Their discoveries created entirely new fields, opened up new realms of scientific research, and advanced science for the benefit of humankind,” said Øvreås.
Walsh studies structural and functional disorders of the human brain. He has discovered more than 35 neurological disease genes, including the double cortex syndrome, a rare neuronal migration disorder that presents with seizures and intellectual impairment seen almost exclusively in females.
His research has identified genetic mutations that underlie disorders affecting the cerebral cortex and that can cause structural malformations, including some forms of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders.
Many of these discoveries came from one of Walsh’s key innovations: the study of recessive mutations in geographically isolated families. In some of those children, Walsh discovered mutations that were present in some but not all the cells of the body. These somatic mutations can accumulate slowly during brain development.
“These scientists discovered the genetic basis of multiple brain disorders, and elucidated the pathways by which these genes work,” Kristine Walhovd, chair of the neuroscience committee, said of Walsh and the three other researchers who share the Kavli Prize with him.
Two HMS early-career researchers have been named finalists for the 2022 Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists. They are among the 31 finalists chosen from a pool of 309 nominees from across the United States.
Independently administered by the New York Academy of Sciences, the Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists is the world’s largest unrestricted prize recognizing early-career scientists and engineers.
The two finalists from HMS are:
Jacob Hooker, the HMS Lurie Family Professor of Radiology in the Field of Autism Research at Massachusetts General Hospital
Benjamin Neale, HMS associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
Jocelyn Silvester, HMS assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, has received the inaugural Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) Young Investigator Prize. The prize recognizes the exceptional achievements of an investigator in the early part of their career in celiac disease research.
Silvester was recognized for her advocacy, translational research, and clinical research in both adults and pediatrics. Her research has provided insight into the natural history of celiac disease as well as providing a template for how to study the gluten-free diet. She has also developed a short, easy-to-administer way for the celiac disease community to assess adherence to the gluten-free diet.
Sabrina Paganoni, HMS associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital, has been named to receive the Diamond Award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
The award recognizes a scientific leader dedicated to the eradication of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The award will be presented at the MDA’s gala in New York City on June 9.
Ivana Kim, HMS associate professor of ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, was selected to present the Paul Henkind Memorial Lecture at the Macula Society 2022 annual meeting in June. This annual lecture recognizes a Macula Society member for their exceptional contributions to retina research.
Kim’s research focuses on the medical and surgical treatment of patients with vitreoretinal diseases and the development of new therapies for AMD and ocular melanoma. Kim has initiated and participates in clinical trials involving new therapeutic approaches for uveal melanoma and evaluates circulating DNA as a biomarker for uveal melanoma progression.
